Legend of Zelda: The Vessel of Souls
by banka1233
Summary: Theresa is just a regular 15-year old girl who loves playing Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, and she supposedly inherits magical abilities. How will she react once she finds out that she is being taken to Hyrule? This happens a couple months after TP.
1. A Normal Life Turned into a Disaster

Chapter 1 – A Normal Life Turned into a Disaster

"Magic and fairy tales aren't real," is what most people say… That they never existed, that they use it to merely entertain the children. Some stick to this belief, while others end up following everybody else in denying its existence.

I am one of those who stuck to it.

Magic has always fascinated me as a child. I always looked up magic spells on the Internet, and tried it out myself, only to find that they were fraud. Nevertheless, I never ceased to believe in this.

Perhaps it was because of what Father told me. He said that my great grandfather was "supposedly" a great magician. He even owned a book full of spells written in Latin! It's too bad that it was given to one of my grandfathers, possibly his son, in a far country. His son died years later and never gave it to anyone, but rather stored it in an unknown location.

My great grandfather knew a ton of those ancient spells, but used it only as a last resort for defense; once, he used a camouflage spell to hide from the Japanese during a huge war. That was the only spell that Father knew that he used; all the other ones that he used were kept secret for some reason. After my great grandfather's death, it came under the possession of my grandfather. Father was able to borrow it from him, and tried one that would allow him to speak to animals. Unfortunately, it failed… As for his siblings, it never even crossed their minds that magic existed.

Father told me this story simply to make me happy as a child, as do other parents. Later on as a growing pre-teen, he, along with Mother, my brother, and sister, tried to persuade me that it didn't exist. I refused to listen to them. It fascinated me greatly, and even now at the age of fifteen I still think magic is real.

All I do to satisfy my parents is pretend to not be interested in it anymore.

In reality, I still search for proof behind their backs. But all my futile attempts have been leading me to think of the possibility that it is a sham. Perhaps it really is time to grow up…

~ : ~ : ~

I opened my eyes from my sleep. Everything was dark. I scanned the area, and found nothing. Even the floor was just… nothing! And yet somehow I stood. I seriously had a fear of the dark, but something here told me that I shouldn't be.

Why?

Horror movies and suspenseful games always scared the crap out of me, and I hated walking around the house when there's not enough light. So, why was I not feeling any fear now? What made this moment any different? Before I could think about this any longer, something caught my eye up above.

Three lights flew overhead, each owning a different color. One to the left was a clear blue color, while the one to the right was a bright green. And there was one in the center; a fiery red hue.

The red one flew past me first. As it passed, earth seemed to appear out of the void. Soon, I found myself standing on a red, rocky floor. It was like a barren wasteland, and had no plants or form of life whatsoever other than myself.

Next, the blue one came. Almost as though my thoughts were being answered, plants and greenery grew on the earth. So did the sky. Other than that, I was the only human standing here.

Finally, the green light flew above me. Next thing I knew, there was a huge crowd of people around me, and in a town, too! There were plenty of sounds and business going on: kids ran around and played, grown passers-by walked around shopping, and shop owners were busily advertising their goods to anybody who happened to pass their store.

The creation that just happened before me looked so familiar...

Suddenly, all the noise and movement of the newly-made citizens stopped. Everything turned silent as they froze in place. Great, this was getting even more confusing by the second.

The three lights came towards me. I felt the need to move away, but couldn't. It was like I was forced to be frozen in place along with the others, except that I was the only one who saw them. Everybody else either looked away or showed no sign of even seeing them. I tested out my movement; alright, I raised my elbow, so at least I'm able to move certain body parts. I lowered it, and tried to move my legs next. They stayed in their place. So I'm able to control everything else except my legs, and I can't move away. Well, that's just frickin' great!

As the colored lights came closer, I began to recognize their features.

Din, Nayru, and Farore from the Legend of Zelda games?!

Yup, I'm definitely dreaming… I admit it; I'm obsessed with this series of games! So this explains why I'm dreaming about this. What I just saw earlier was the creation of the world and Hyrule!

The three, beautiful goddesses took one look at me and began whispering something to each other. They only stood a few feet away from me, and yet their voices were inaudible. Sheesh, what the heck is going on?!

Well, I do look out of place. Everyone around me was wearing formal, yet strange attire that fit in to the Legend of Zelda timeline. On the other hand, I was wearing a huge short sleeved white shirt that went down past my bottom, and I had light blue pants that had thin red, blue, and white stripes on it. Yeah, I stood out in my pajamas.

After watching them speaking silently, the woman in the center, Din, walked towards me. Her ruby-red eyes watched my own dark brown eyes. All I could do was stare back.

She took my right hand, and traced something on it. Her grip and fingers were delicate, but I found it strange that she would be doing something like this. Soon enough, the top of my right hand glowed brightly. What was that?

Well…

The Triforce.

The triangle above the other two looked more defined as it illuminated my hand. Though most would think that this was an honor to have such a power, I just looked at it in a bored fashion.

Really, this is only a dream, right? So there's no reason to be amazed or anything. I looked up to the goddesses again to ask something, but Din was slowly extending her hand towards me, so I silenced myself. The tips of her fingers briefly touched where my heart is located, and slowly pulled away. As her hand retreated, a glowing stream of light followed immediately, and soon formed a round shape.

It looked like a lavender orb in dark purple flames. Wow, my favorite colors! Coincidence? She looked down at me again with her gentle gaze.

"Child," she said, "Do you know what this is?" Her voice sounded so angelic. I never thought that she would sound anything like this! Stupid game creators made everybody mute…

I shook my head. Din smiled.

"This is your soul." I only stared again, not looking surprised one bit. Her gentle expression wavered for a moment, but continued as she held my "soul" close to her. "This is a very kind soul, indeed. Very pure... You seem to be a good human, but beware of what may lurk inside it."

I looked at her with a puzzled expression. Din only held out the purple sphere towards me to see for myself. In the center of it was a smaller orb, but it glowed a menacing yellow color.

I had no idea what it was, but it sent chills up my spine. She held it out further to me. I took it slowly in my hands as though she commanded me to. As my fingertips touched the orb, I felt something more powerful within it, a type of feeling that I couldn't take and that I thought I would never feel in my life. But then why would it be in my soul? As an unseen power began to run through my veins, the top triangle of the Triforce on my right hand began to shine furiously as a reaction. Fear was taking over me as a different emotion seemed to overcome all others in the yellow ball.

What was this feeling?

Bloodlust…?

~ : ~ : ~

A musical tune rang through a certain room in a large house. A tired groan could be heard from the bottom bunk within the room as the tune was silenced. It awoke me with a start. What a weird dream…

"Theresa…" a voice underneath me called, "Your turn to go first…" I shifted on the bed.

"Miimme fife mimuts…" I replied sleepily.

"What?"

"Miimme…fife…mimuts…"

"What?!"

I flew the covers away from my face.

"Gimme five minutes!" I repeated for the third time, my eyes clenched shut in both anger and exhaustion. I opened my eyes for a moment, and one of them twitched in annoyance. Feeling my fatigue return, I prepared to return to sleep.

"No! C'mon, ya gotta go now!" the voice insisted. Ugh, my brother just never gives up, does he? I groaned in complaint, but he only repeated my name with a stricter tone. I groaned again and stretched, throwing the rest of the blanket off my body. I'm in a cranky, sleepy mood and I don't feel like dealing with an annoying sixteen-year old. Sure, he's the older brother that has authority over me, but sometimes, I just can't stand him!

I lazily complied and went down the small ladder from the top bunk as silently as I could. Translation: I only listened to my brother because I don't want Dad barging in on us, and the small, old ladder creaked under my weight while Brother complained about the noise.

I took my good-for-nothing, cheap cell phone from its charger before leaving, switched on the lights, and exited towards the bathroom, grinning to myself at more of Brother's grumbles.

My siblings and I always have to take a shower before school, according to my parents. So, Brother and I decided that on Tuesdays and Thursdays, I would shower first. Wednesdays and Fridays would be his turn. And as for Mondays, we would rotate every week. It was his way of being "equal."

I put on a disgusted face as I looked over to the door to my younger sister's room. At first, we shared that room together, but since the school that I attend is only a couple miles away from my brother's, we had to sleep in the same room to keep from disturbing Sis. Moreover, the school is a few cities away from our house, so we have to wake up early anyway. What time is it, exactly? 5:00 a.m.! No growing teenager should be put through this!

And Sis attends a school that's only five minutes away, so she's able to sleep longer than me and Brother. Lucky…

I opened the door to find my uniform, shoes, and undergarments lying over the counter already. It's a forced habit that I have to prepare the night before so that I don't wake up Sis this early.

The shower water was nice and warm against my cold skin. It was in the month of November, which is in winter season so of course I'd put it in that temperature. Maybe I'll take all the hot water to get back at my brother... After showering as fast as I could, I put on my clothes and walked over to Brother's room again.

"Oi! Your turn." I said. He grunted in reply and didn't get up. I didn't feel like wasting my time nagging him to get up, so I dragged myself drowsily downstairs to get some cereal. Ugh, this is gonna be another boring day of school. Well, on the bright side, I'll get to hang out with my other videogame/anime-addicted friends!

"Tessa!" a stern, womanly voice called. I looked up from my textbook and homework. Tessa was a nickname used only for my parents that just seems strange when my siblings or friends call me that. So I only allow Mom, Dad, and other older relatives to use this nickname. Besides, it was the only nickname that they could think of from my real name, Theresa.

"Yeah, Mom?"

"Can you please finish clearing the table?" I sighed. Damn, I didn't get out of that one. I tried to avoid chores by using homework as an excuse. What's more, it'll help me get done faster! And the teachers aren't getting any more merciful as the school year progresses. They've pretty much been burying all the students with homework.

"Hang on!" That was always the phrase that my siblings and I use to stall. I smirked at how many times that worked! Looking down at my homework again, I was about to write the date when it slipped my mind.

"Hey, what's the date today?" I asked to no one in particular. Pretty much anyone can answer that for me.

"Tuesday, November 10th!" Sis's voice replied from the kitchen. I raised my eyebrows in a surprised appearance; thankfully, no one was in the living room to see it anyway.

"_Tomorrow's the day, huh?" _I thought. Being the fairy tale lover that I am, I saw my first shooting star last year. I thought that I would never get to see one until way later on in my life, but it looks like I got lucky.

That night, I stared out a window that had a beautiful view of the sky. It was a calm night, until a thin, light blue line shot quickly through the dark blue heavens! I was amazed, and I quickly made a wish. I was bored, and of course, back then, I was really, really obsessed with Legend of Zelda, especially with one of their newest games, "Twilight Princess."

So, guess what? I wished that on November 11th next year, I will teleport to Hyrule, have an adventure, and meet the love of my life.

"Tessa." Mother called. I ignored her. Of course, thinking about it now made my stomach twist around inside me. All that came into my mind was the flaws and mistakes that could possibly happen.

"Tessa…"

When I said that I would teleport to Hyrule, what if it's not in the same timeline as "Twilight Princess?!" And, what if my adventure kills me? I've seen what monsters are in the game, what if I see them in real life. How would I defend myself then?! I can't die this young!

"Tessa!"

And, and when I said "meet the love of my life," I meant Link. What if it's not him? But he's so cool! Who else would out-cool him anyway?! And I might be rushing my love life; I'm only fifteen, dammit!

"TESSA!"

"AH! Yes, Mom! I'm getting to the table!!" I ran up to the dining table and cleared all the leftover food, condiments, and drinks and stored them in the refrigerator. Mom gets really scary when she gets mad; all the more motivated I am to work faster!

~ : ~ : ~

I finished all my chores the next night sadly. My parents looked concerned for me but I told them that it was nothing.

But that was what was wrong. _Nothing_ happened! Nothing suspicious, nothing dangerous, not even strange dreams came last night! I blankly watched my open textbook, like I was waiting for it to do my homework automatically or something. Will my wish come true? Or is magic really fake?

"Tessa!" Mother chimed. My grip on my pencil tightened. I didn't feel like being bothered now, but she's Mom, so I gotta deal with it. I looked up.

"Yeah?" I asked softly.

"Can you take out the trash tonight? Your brother's washing the dishes." Oh yeah, taking out the trash was one of his "automatic" chores. But tonight was his turn to wash, so he's not able to do it.

A quiet sigh escaped my lips. Why can't he just do it afterwards? Oh well, going outside is a great way to be alone. Yeah, I'm scared of the dark, but right now it didn't seem to matter. I would've been okay with anything as long as I get a moment to be by myself.

I silently tied the trash bag together so that nothing would fall out, and carried it to the front door and stepped out into the night.

I opened a gate on the opposite side of the house, threw the bag into a large black bin, and closed the gate with a loud, echoing _clank!_ I began my walk back towards the house, until I stopped mid-way.

The sky was dark, yet lighted by the multiple stars above. I looked up. There was no moon since it was in its Last Quarter phase; the stars hung alone tonight.

I wanted to cry, yet no tears came out. I wanted to hug someone, but people would think I'm pathetic. They'd probably think, "Who would pout about something as simple as a wish not coming true?"

Well, _I'm_ that girl.

I truly thought that it would happen… All these years of believing, of not giving up, only to be proven false… I looked away from the sky and to the ground. As I thought before: Perhaps it really is time to grow up.

My walk continued. However, as soon as I made two steps, the ground shook softly. It wasn't enough to make me fall, but I lost balance momentarily and caught myself. The tiny earthquake continued for only a couple of seconds, and then ceased.

"Hm…" I said to myself. Strange, and seriously weird. But, I'd better go check on Sis; she's absolutely terrified of earthquakes, no matter how small.

Yet, it began again as soon as I lifted my foot, and this time, it was stronger! Now, I fell on my bottom. I heard screams and objects falling within my house. Damn, I gotta get up there! But a crack that appeared a few feet away from me seemed to protest, like it heard my thoughts.

I tried to stand, but instead, I continued to fall on my butt. More cracks came in random places. How long is this quake?!

Conversely, time didn't seem to be on my side tonight, and didn't allow me a moment longer to think. The next thing I knew, the ground fell beneath me in pieces.

I watched, wide-eyed, as the hole I fell from started to become farther and farther until it was just a tiny speck. I was falling, yet no scream came out.

All I fell through was darkness rather than more earth and dirt. It was just a bottomless void, similar to my dream two nights ago except that nothing held me up. After a few seconds, my eyelids felt heavier, and sleep threatened to come. I succumbed, closing my eyes. The only thing that I felt before that was wind blowing against me during my descent.

Did my wish come true?


	2. In a New World Literally

Author's Note: Wow! I finally figured out how to leave the Author's Note!! Man, I'm stupid... Um, anyways, I managed to get Chapter 2 done... Not much to say... Heh heh, well, please read and review. All reviews are greatly appreciated!

Angela (I shortened your pen name if you don't mind ^_^; ): Thanks for reviewing! I'm gonna remember you as my first reviewer! *gives cookie*

Alright! Here's the next chapter!

* * *

Chapter 2 – In a New World… Literally

Sunlight shone through my slit eyelids. Weird, the sun shouldn't be out at 5:00 a.m. Also, it's November, so it should be really cloudy at my house, not full of light! On the bright side, it was warm, unlike the winter breeze that comes and goes through the cracks and holes of my house. I felt around myself to take off the blanket on top of me; but there was one problem...

It wasn't there!

I immediately sat up in alarm. In fact, I wasn't on a bed, but on the ground! The clear blue sky could be seen with sunlight bathing the whole area around me. I shaded my eyes from the sudden brightness, and looked around myself. I was sitting on fresh green grass, and there was a dirt road that went out in four different directions: one towards a cliff opening, one towards a cliff _edge_, one going to some small ruins, and the final one was… leading towards a stone bridge. A very, very familiar stone bridge!

I stood up and dusted myself off. No, this can't be! I took a deep breath.

"_Alright, calm down Theresa." _I thought to myself, _"Maybe this isn't what I'm thinking it is. Even though it looks like its spitting image, maybe that's not the bridge leading to… to…."_

I took a couple steps forward through the bright green plants until the path of the bridge was in my line of sight. The door looked exactly the same, and I recognized the walls easily as well. I could even hear the same bustling inside as a regular town would: music, conversation, laughter, it had it all! But… There's just no possible way! Could it truly be…?

Castle Town?

Oh. My. Gosh! I'm actually in Hyrule!! I thought I was going to faint, but I took deep breaths and collected myself. This can't be a dream. I stomped on the ground. Solid. I felt the floor again with my hands and fingers spread out. Still solid and soft as my palms and fingers touched the little green strands of grass. Well, time to confirm this by entering the town!

I was about to walk to the bridge and investigate until I took another good look around. To my right, there was the usual Bulblin wandering around that small flower patch, which held a golden butterfly. Wow, the guide wasn't joking when it said that it's hard to see them – wait a minute! There's a Bulblin! I was beginning to panic, when I realized that it didn't notice me. It just continued to walk around in a circle, glance somewhere else, and walk again. It just continued to do that over and over. Walk. Glance. Walk. And the whole time, it didn't see me. I sighed in relief.

Well, it's obvious that as long as I don't get close to it, then it won't attack. Hey, maybe everything here is just like in the game! Or perhaps the poor thing is just stupid.

Suddenly, shade quickly passed over me. I looked up to find a pterodactyl-like bird flying overhead, and eyeing me hungrily with two yellow circles. I shivered. It's a Kargaroc!

My legs immediately began running to the opposite direction and toward the crag opening. If I'm lucky, I'll reach Hyrule Field and it'll lose sight of me. I continued to run and run, my ears ringing with the sound of the Kargaroc's screech in the sky. I could even hear the flapping of its wings coming closer to me at a great speed. I didn't care if my legs were tiring, or if my side was hurting, or if my breathing was getting faster. The only thing on my mind was to get away from this monster bird!

Unfortunately, my reluctance to exercise contributed to being easily caught by the Kargaroc's large talons. It grabbed hold of the back of my jacket, and I began to fly with it...or more like hang and thrash around in its grip.

I screamed, hoping that someone out there would hear me. But I highly doubted it. I was too high in the air and it was making me dizzy. Man, how I hated heights! I stopped moving around in defeat, and fear, and merely hung there while it continued to fly without a worry.

Wind blew furiously at my face, sending my short, ebony hair back behind me. The sharp nails of the bird's talons dug deep into my jacket, obviously making holes through it, and making it more difficult for me to escape. I could only watch the land pass underneath my dangling legs; somehow I managed to keep my slip-on shoes stuck to my feet. Either way, I continued to look up; the height was still making me light-headed and sick inside. I gave up on yelling, my throat was dry and nobody showed any sign of seeing me in the sky anyway, not that I saw anybody in Hyrule Field.

The Kargaroc would occasionally give out a mighty shriek, possibly giving warning to any other prey and proudly showing that I'm its next meal. It was deafening to hear it so loud and so close. I hated this. As soon as I come in, I get captured!

It seemed like half an hour or so before I noticed the monster descending slowly. I finally mustered up some courage to look around the area; there were many trees and small, rocky cliffs speckled in random places. The trees stood tall and great, a perfect place for a Kargaroc to place its nest, I think.

I can't give up now. I can't die at this age! Moreover, by being eaten... I'm too young to die! I looked down again, searching for anything I could land on. We were just passing a small, bright spring that was shown openly in a clearing of trees. After that, more low trees covered the ground. I widened my eyes as I realized that we passed Lanayru Province and just going through Faron Woods. This place, along with the Ordona Province, had the most trees if my memory is correct. So, I only have one shot at this.

I carefully moved my right arm and did my best to keep the Kargaroc from noticing my movement. My arms felt numb from being pulled up by my jacket for so long. Nevertheless, I managed to slip it away from the sleeve of my jacket, but held on for dear life onto the left sleeve. Oh damn, I didn't think about that! Taking out my right arm would lose balance and cause me to have to hang on to the other one.

But then again, maybe it wasn't such a bad idea.

Moving my weight onto the left side of my jacket caused the Kargaroc to momentarily lose its own balance, and was forced to lean forward and closer to the trees. I proceeded with removing my left arm from the sleeve, and clinged onto the bottom of my now tearing jacket. I looked beneath me one more time; good, there's still more trees, but now I was pretty sure that we just passed the border of Faron Province. I let go.

The fall was quicker than I expected. I planned on landing on a branch on my feet, but instead of gaining steadiness on one of them, I fell backwards and broke through other frail twigs. They left scratches everywhere on my back, bruises on my arms and legs. Sure it broke my fall and everything, but it wasn't worth it if I was going to get continuously tortured! I finally landed on my back onto solid ground.

I groaned loudly from pain. It was more like a half scream, half groan. Landing hard on newly made scratches isn't the best feeling in the world. I didn't want to move from this resting spot, but I knew I needed to run. Who knows, there might be more monsters headed for me! My complaint of pain subsided soon enough, and was reduced to heavy breathing. I thought I was beginning to get used to the pain until I tried to get up. Instead of "being used to it," it only felt like more torment. I can't move like this! Suddenly, a familiar screech broke the temporary silence of the forest, making me wide-eyed and alert. That was motivation enough to stand up, and I didn't care about how my body practically screamed, "These cuts really, really hurt!"

I scanned the tops of the trees; thankfully, the leaves were thick above me and seemed to provide cover. However, I put my back against a nearby wall just in case. Doing that made me flinch from the cuts, but I managed to stifle a grunt. I saw the shadow of the flying figure through the leaves. I held my breath once more. The dimmed lighting of this area proved useful, and eventually, the Kargaroc flew away and left me alone. I sighed and breathed, letting my body slide down the wall until I was in a sitting position.

Rubbing my wounded back against a hard rock wall wasn't the best idea, and sent a sharp feeling shooting through me. I didn't care. I just wanted to sleep. I looked around to make sure I wasn't lost and to be aware of any monsters.

It was just a one-way path of going either left or right. I knew that one led to Hyrule Field and the other led to... I gasped. Ordon Village must be close by! I knew that the villagers there could help me, and moreover, Link was there!

My stomach was feeling all twisted again. Nervousness was taking over me. How should I react when – I mean, if– I see him? Now, I was feeling a bit excited. Wow, I'm going to see a character from a game in _real life_?! Oh, how cool is that?! However, my attempts at moving proved unsuccessful. My body was feeling incredibly heavy as though I were paralyzed. I could barely lift up my arm!

Perhaps this is for the best anyway. I was slowly losing consciousness and was beginning to fall asleep. Sleep is good! But then I struggled to remain awake, for the sound of hooves was coming closer and closer from my left. I tried to open my eyes and run, but everything went black before I could.

~ : ~ : ~

I took a breath in through my nostrils; a deep breath. Ah, I felt relaxed and well-slept. My hand twitched, and as it fell back down, it landed on something soft. Soft like a bed! My eyelids cracked open and soon my vision was clear. What I saw above me was a wooden ceiling. I looked down, and I was covered in a large quilt.

To my dismay, neither the ceiling nor the quilt looked familiar. Most likely, I wasn't home.

"Ah, you're awake!" a female voice exclaimed, "Father! She's awake!" I turned to my left to see a blonde-haired girl quickly walking towards me. She wore a long, sleeveless blouse over a pair of brown capri pants.

Ilia.

"How are you feeling?" she asked softly, pulling up a chair and sitting next to me. I blinked and pulled the covers away from myself. Almost instantly, I winced from that same hurting feeling coming from my back, and Ilia gently laid me back down.

"Slow down! You're still recovering from your wounds!" I looked at myself, and found that instead of my regular uniform top, I was in my light blue undershirt covered in bandages.

"I-I'm fine." I said, continuing to sit up. Again, I winced.

"Please, rest." My dark brown gaze stared at her straight in the eye. However, it was obvious that she had no intention of letting me walk around injured. I sighed and yielded.

"Fine." But rather than lie back down, I pulled the pillow up against the wall behind the bed to lean on it. Ilia looked a little annoyed, but said nothing.

"So how are you feeling now?" I looked at her again.

"I…guess I'm better than before." The bandages were actually a little tight, and too much for just multiple cuts on my back. Even so, I kept my mouth shut. Ilia beamed.

"That's a relief. You looked really messed up when Link found you. I don't know what might've happened to you had he not rescued you!" I looked away from her in slight surprise. It was Link who found me? _The_ Link?! And I just realized now that I'm in the correct timeline that I wanted to be in: Twilight Princess. That takes out one of my worries.

"T-Thank you for taking care of my wounds," I said. Even I didn't know what would've happened to me if I had been abandoned. She was about to reply when loud footsteps could be heard coming at a fast pace. Ilia and I looked in the direction of the staircase where a large old man was standing. He was sort of breathing hard.

It was none other than Mayor Bo himself.

"Ah, so she's –"

"Father!" He jumped a little. "Why didn't you come sooner?! I'm sure it's been a few minutes since I called you!" Mayor Bo laughed nervously.

"Uh, well, you see, dear," he explained, "I went to pass on the news to Link. Well actually, I walked over to Fado's to have him deliver the message. So it took me a little while to come up there and back." His daughter calmed down a little bit, but huffed as she turned her back on him. I really had no idea how he could deal with her...

"Um, it's fine, guys." I interrupted, "No need to get into an argument." Mayor Bo seemed a bit relieved by this, but his daughter's face didn't change. The large man cleared his throat and continued,

"Greetings, I am Mayor Bo. Right now, you are in Ordon Village. I believe you have already met my daughter, Ilia." Yeah, tell me something I don't know. But I put on a calm smile nonetheless.

"It's nice to meet you both. My name's Theresa. That's a nice name you have." I complimented, looking over to Ilia. I always liked her name in the first place. She obviously looked happy with the comment.

"Thank you! Though I must say, you have an uncommon name, Theresa. But I suppose it's because you're not from here." I raised an eyebrow playfully.

"And how do you know that I'm just another person from another nearby village?"

"Because your style of clothing isn't similar to anything from here." she replied, pointing to where my magenta polo shirt was neatly folded and placed on another bed. That reminded me that I was just wearing my light blue undershirt, a gray skirt, and magenta knee highs. My black shoes were on the floor next to the separate bed.

"Right... Uh, I knew that." Both the father and daughter chuckled. I blushed and tried to glare at them, but couldn't help but laugh myself as well. Soon enough, we all heard the door open and close gently.

"Hello?" a voice called. Ilia swiftly stood up and looked over the staircase.

"We're upstairs, Link!" My eyes enlarged somewhat, but I tried my best not to show it as Mayor Bo stood in front of me. As Ilia returned to her seat, the quick sound of feet came closer and closer until... He was in the same room as us.

"Hi! I'm Link!" he said. I was sure that my heart skipped a beat. Oh, how much cuter he looks in real life compared to the game! I quickly collected myself and was about to return the introduction when a certain other girl interrupted me.

"This is Theresa! She says she's feeling better now." I eyed her suspiciously as Ilia did that. But being in a good mood at the moment, I decided to let it pass. Maybe she's just excited that I'm here... Just maybe...

"Pleasure to meet you, Link." I added before she could speak up again.

"Likewise." He walked over to join the mayor and his daughter. Oh, he sounds so much better! I loathed the game makers for making him unable to speak, but I love them more for creating him! He looked only about two years older than me while Ilia looked one year older. Perhaps the two of us will get along depending on how much she's willing to let me speak. Maybe I'm just paranoid or something...

"So, uh, what happened to me? How did you find me?" I was acting curious, though I knew exactly what occurred. Well, at least this is to know their side of the story. Mayor Bo began.

"It was a regular day here with all the villagers doing their usual chores. I was just here at home at the moment. But then we heard a scream nearby, and we all panicked." Ilia continued.

"I was playing with the kids near the small stream outside when I heard you. We had to get them in their houses just in case anything was coming. We didn't want anything terrible to happen to them again..." She paused for a moment, spacing out as though in thought. Aha! So this is _after_ Link's adventure! I think. The cute farm boy took over with the story, seeing her hesitation.

"I was doing my work at the ranch at that time. I was already on my horse, so when I reached the Mayor's house, everybody was inside and he told me to investigate. As I passed my own house, I saw a Kargaroc searching the trees. It's strange for them to wander past here, but anyways, when it disappeared, I went on along the path. You were lying down unconscious just past the Ordon Spring, and I took you back here for your wounds to be mended."

It was as though the whole scene was being played before me. Wow, that's a mouthful. But at least I know what they did. Ilia finally returned to earth by the end.

"Your back was covered with so many scratches, and some were deeper than others and bleeding badly. Other than that, you only had bruises on the rest of your body." She made it sound so painful because, well, it was. That was one of the worst moments of my life. I just nodded as they explained the scene to me, and also when Ilia told me of my injuries. Just to act curious and like a person who doesn't know what Link went through, I asked,

"Um, would you mind me asking?" They all nodded in unison. "Ilia, earlier you said you didn't want anything bad to happen to the children again... What exactly do you mean by 'again'?" They all went silent and pale. That wasn't a good sign. A sigh from Link broke the awkward silence.

"It's a long story," he said, "Let's just say it's something that we don't want to repeat, even through story-telling." I looked down at the bed. That experience must have been really bad. Playing it in the game didn't make it look dangerous at all. Even if I saw everything that the Bulblins did to them, I can only imagine that their fear was much greater than what I just experienced. Moreover, they're just kids! No child should be put through such an ordeal!

"Sorry for asking..." I finally said. Mayor Bo spoke up.

"Oh, no no no. You needn't apologize." I smiled at him, or rather to all of them. I moved my legs onto the wooden floor, and tried to stand up. Then almost together, the three of them went to me to make sure that I didn't fall. I chuckled at their kindness. It was sort of funny seeing them doing this together to one person.

"I'm fine, everyone. I'm just going to get my shirt and shoes, and then I'll be on my way." Again with the unity, they all gasped. Ilia went in front of me.

"No! You must stay here and rest longer!" Mayor Bo joined in after his child.

"You're still hurt. And who knows? Maybe that monster is still after you!" Sheesh, Ilia's reason was caring, but her dad looked like he wanted to scare me to stay. Then, I felt a firm hand on my right shoulder. I looked toward Link's direction as he spoke.

"Please don't worry, Theresa. You're no trouble or burden to us in any way." I looked to the other two, and they nodded in reassurance. I remained standing and staring at the floor in thought. They were so kind; I would've never known that they acted this way to complete strangers. I could've been a murderer and they treated me so kindly! I finally moved my head up and down in agreement to them. The once anxious faces disappeared and were replaced with expressions of joy.

The mayor cheered with Link while Ilia gave me a hug. Wow, that was random. But as her arms wrapped around me, I could feel that sharp experience go through me again.

"Ow, Ilia, that hurts!" I said through her choking. She gasped and let go.

"Oh, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to!" I started to laugh, and soon the mayor and the rancher joined in. Ha! Now Ilia's on the spot! Nah, I didn't mean it that way, her reaction was just funny. And eventually, the confused teen laughed with us as well. Once it died down, I inquired,

"Are you sure that you want to keep me here? I mean, I'm not even from here and yet you're treating me like this." The mayor's daughter shook her head.

"Just as Link said, you're no trouble to us." I never expected them to be this nice! I knew how they acted in the game, which gave me a small dislike for Ilia at first, but it's nothing compared to reality.

"Thank you," was all I could say to them. As they all smiled at me, somehow I was able to hold back tears. Hm, I never expected to cry or anything. Anybody would insist on keeping an injured person with them, so how come tears were threatening me now? Oh, maybe it's because I'm finally in the place I wanted to be in. Ha! Take that, Dad! Shooting stars are real!

"Well then at least let me put on my shirt!" I added, grabbing the quilt and covering myself with it, "I don't want these two guys in the room looking at me like this!" Both Mayor Bo and Link turned as red as tomatoes.

"S-Sorry!" they both said, bumping into each other as they went downstairs. Ilia and I couldn't help but laugh at them. It was okay if she was here; I was only wearing an undershirt, and she's a girl anyway. My laughing was soon reduced to a giggle as I reached over for my shirt. I slipped it on quickly and put on my shoes.

"So, you said that there's other villagers here, right?" The fellow teen said yes. "Can I meet them?" She looked uncertain. Well, it was clear that she still wanted me to rest, but I insisted with a 'Please?' After a couple more 'Please?'s, she gave up and led me to the entrance of her house.

"Alright then. But as soon as we're done, it's back to the bed for you!" she said, opening the door. Sheesh, she sounds just like my mom, but I agreed anyway. Like I said, sleep isn't so bad. As the door revealed the bright village, I had to shade my eyes again. Man, I gotta get used to this!

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Well, that's the end of Chapter 2! I'll try to get the next one out ASAP!


	3. Meeting the Residents of Ordon Village

Author's Note: Well, here's Chapter 3! Thank goodness for summer vacation XD I would've never finished it this fast if it were the school year! But when it does get to school, then it might be tough... But I'll do my best! Now, for reviews!

To All: Thanks for reviewing!! :D

Lady Akhisane: Hm, I suppose this is self-insert... The story was supposed to be told through the main character's POV, and I based her personality and actions on what I would do... Omg it's accidental self-insert! XD

SkittyStarikova: Thankies! I'll do the best I can to update the story fast!

Angela: Chocolate _Chop_ Cookies? O.o lolz jk I know whatcha mean. Hm, I thought I gave you chocolate chip *thinks* I blame my oven! O_O

DantesArdor: Well, I started a Zelda fanfic on another site and discontinued it ;_; So technically, this is my 2nd fanfic ever. I've been a LoZ fan ever since I was 6 (that was when I got Ocarina of Time)! Glad to see that there's so many ppl who still love Link.

And without further ado, here's Chapter 3!

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Chapter 3 – Meeting the Residents of Ordon Village

Everything became clearer as my eyes adjusted to the lighting. Wow, everything's so bright! Maybe I just got used to sleeping... Ilia took my hand unexpectedly and walked down the wooden steps of her house. Turning to me, she said,

"Okay, right here to my left is the ranch. This is where Link and his friend Fado works, so we can't go up there now during their work hours." I only nodded to make her think that I didn't know the whole structure of the village. Seriously, after beating the game a couple of times, you get to know your way around. She continued to lead me through the village.

We turned to the right and passed a small stream, and headed towards Rusl, Uli, and Colin's house. It looks MUCH bigger in reality than the game! Was everything enlarged or something? Uli was sitting just a few feet outside her door, gently rocking a baby back and forth. Oh I remember! During the credits of the game, she had a new child in a cradle! Aw, how cute! Uli looked up and noticed us, flashing me and Ilia a tender grin.

"Why, hello there Ilia!" she greeted, "Oh! Is this the girl that Link found outside the village?"

"Yeah," Ilia replied, "Her name's Theresa. Thankfully, she's feeling much better now." Is she going to tell my name to the whole world without letting me say a word? Maybe I'll just let her handle all the introductions... "Theresa, this is Uli."

"Nice to meet you, Uli," I said. Well, scratch that suspicion.

"Hello. I'm sorry my husband can't be here right now. He's on an errand." Her voice was so soft and kind. She almost reminded me of my own mother. In fact, when will I get to see Mom and the rest of the family again? As much as I would love to stay here, I have too close a bond with my own family. This isn't where I'm supposed to be anyway.

Wait a sec! I can't meet Rusl?! Aw, come on! I wanted to meet the guy who taught Link how to fight! I was also hoping that I could learn a few moves from him... He's probably with that group of people in Telma's Bar or something.

I seemed to drift off somewhat, but we were still able to give each other smiles; though Uli looked concerned for a moment. "If you are taking her around the houses," she continued, looking at the mayor's daughter, "Then you should continue before the end of the day."

"Oh, right! Theresa, we'd better---" But I was already sitting next to Uli, staring at her little child with soft eyes.

"Aawww!" I whispered, "Such a cute baby!" She held her calm, happy expression towards me as I continued to look at her child.

"Thank you. Her name is---"

"Come on, Theresa!" Ilia interrupted in a hushed tone, pulling me up to my feet. Actually, she was dragging me. Great, not even in real life can I discover her name... Well, at least I found out that she's a girl; hence the pink blanket neatly tucked around the delicate little kid. Hopefully I'll be able to find out her name later.

We continued to walk until we stopped at a tall pillar-like piece of land covered in ivy. This is the place where Link climbed for the first time in Twilight Princess!

"Good afternoon, Jaggle!" the teen yelled. It's the afternoon?! I must've woken up late.

"Afternoon, Ilia!" he yelled back, "Say, is that the lil' girl that was knocked out?" Did he just call me "little?!" Ah whatever, I'll let it slide just this once.

"Yes! This is---"

"Theresa!" I added quickly. Ilia turned to me looking confused, but a little annoyed as well. I smirked at her, trying to tell her that I can introduce myself without her help. But I must admit, I'm shy when meeting new people. Of course, all my shyness disappeared since I'm talking to the characters of Twilight Princess!

"Well, nice to meet'cha, Theresa!" he said, "Hey! You two girls skedaddle now! That is, if ya wanna see everybody else!" Not that Jaggle would be busy just standing on that piece of earth or anything... Oh well, I began to cooperate with Ilia by just lifting my arm out and letting her take it. I wonder if she really likes to take control of things.

"Oh, by the way," Ilia said, stopping and turning to me again, "Jaggle's wife is Pergie. But sorry, you can't see her since she's always doing housework. Some other time would be nice, 'kay?" And without letting me answer, Ilia resumed in dragging me and my poor arm. Hm, Pergie? I don't remember her being in the game... I was probably too lazy to actually search Jaggle's house in the game anyway.

She and I walked over to a store near where Jaggle stood and entered. It's Sera's Sundries!

A tiny bell rang above our heads as we walked inside, causing Sera and her thin husband, Hanch, to turn their attention to the two of us. Even their cat seemed to want to look.

"Well, if it isn't the mayor's daughter showin' the new girl around!" Sera piped up, "How're ya feelin', m'dear?"

"Fine, thank you." I answered. I have no intention of Ilia acting as my voice! She seemed to get the idea anyway since she didn't speak up. Or at least I think she did.

"That's a relief! I'm Sera, and this is my husband, Hanch!" Hanch only waved to me; he didn't make a sound! Not only is he timid, but he must be really shy with new people. At least we have one thing in common. "Hanch!" Sera yelled, slapping his back. "Where are your manners? We have guests here!"

"Oh, um, hello there..." he said, waving again. I waved back, but I felt somewhat awkward. He must have a hard time with Sera, just as Mayor Bo does with his daughter. Poor guys.

"We just wanted to drop by and say 'hello,'" Ilia finally spoke, "I'd better introduce Theresa to the kids."

"Bye!" I said, being pulled out of the door before the couple could reply. She's really rushing through this isn't she? We walked up through a narrow path; I recognized this. This is the way towards Link's house! Nervousness was taking over me, even though I probably wouldn't enter it, or Link wouldn't even be in there. Like Ilia said, he's working at the ranch, so why am I getting so worked up about this?

"Hi kids!" she called to four children: Talo, Malo, Beth, and Colin. Hey, Colin finally isn't looking so withdrawn anymore! Good thing he got braver throughout his little "journey." They stopped playing with each other and saw us.

"Hey, Ilia!" Talo and Colin said in unison, each holding their own wooden sword.

"Hello..." said the creepy little brother of Talo. The list of characters in the Twilight Princess guide wasn't joking when it said that he speaks so quietly!

"Hi there, Ilia!" Beth finally said, "Who's that?"

"I'd like you all to meet Theresa. Theresa, this is Talo, Malo, Beth, and Colin." As she spoke their names, she pointed to whichever child was which.

"Must you do the introductions for me?" I muttered. But she didn't seem to hear since she didn't react in any way. Guess she really _didn't _get the idea that I can do things on my own! All the kids stared at me blankly, especially Talo. I just know he's gonna burst out with something, I just know it!

"Your clothes are WEIRD!" Talo bellowed, pointing his fake sword towards me. I swore my eye twitched as I crossed my arms.

"Excuse me?" I asked, trying to contain my annoyance and anger. Hey, I'm a sensitive girl, y'know?

"Talo, just stop it..." Malo commanded. But of course, knowing Talo, he's brutally honest and straightforward. And most importantly, he can't keep his stupid mouth shut!

"I said 'Your. Clothes. Are. W-E-I-R-D!'" he repeated slowly like I'm some sort of retard. I snapped.

"Look here, you little---"

"Wait! Wait!" Ilia came in between us, keeping me from strangling his tiny neck. She turned to him and sternly said, "Talo, it's not nice to say that to anybody, especially someone new to our village. Now apologize to her!" Keeping my arms crossed over my chest, I waited for his apology. Talo put his arms behind his back.

"I'm sorry." It took me a while to accept it; really, dealing with an immature boy calling you "weird" doesn't get me on my good side. Besides, my uniform isn't THAT bad! But eventually, I said,

"It's fine." Hopefully, Talo isn't just waiting to do some prank on me. I know how immature he is... He instantly looked happier, regaining his enthusiasm, and asked,

"Do you know how to use any weapon?!" That was sudden. I blinked a couple times, feeling a little awkward. Tch, I wish!

"No." I bluntly answered. The young boy smiled proudly.

"Well, _I'm_ learning how to use a sword! See? Watch me!" He ran over to a scarecrow and got into a fighting stance.

"Nah, he doesn't actually know how to use it," Beth whispered to me, "He's just being stupid."

"He's still trying to get his form right. Right now you can consider him to be an amateur," Colin added. Since Colin is the son of a master swordsman, I assumed that he would be much better than Talo by now. Then again, Rusl might've refused to teach him anything. But during the credits, Colin was walking with a sword and shield behind his back just like Link, so perhaps he learned a couple tricks.

Talo raised his wooden sword, and slashed as hard as he could at the scarecrow. I could barely contain my laughter. That hit barely made a scratch! Not even a little mark was made! Or at least any mark that was visible.

"See what I mean?" Beth continued to whisper. I nodded, stifling my chuckle.

"That was just a warm-up!" he yelled, pointing his toy sword to the sky, "I'll get better, you'll see!" And at that, he sliced away, still failing in causing any damage. Malo just stared, Beth shook her head, Colin watched intently as though he wanted to correct any mistakes that he might make himself, and Ilia and I silently walked away.

"Talo is overconfident and cocky," explained Ilia, "But he's very determined, and a good kid once you get to know him well." We both walked towards the spring, and my suspicion of going there was confirmed as she said, "Oh! Let me show you my favorite place here!" Ilia led me through a long path that I easily identified. This was obviously the only way to exit Ordon Village and the path to Ordon Spring. That is where the Light Spirit, Ordona, resides. I wonder if I'll be able to see at least one of the Light Spirits before I leave... _If_ I leave...

As we walked, Ilia and I saw a dried, vertical blood trail on a nearby wall. It freaked me out at first, but then I realized that that was left from when I slid down the wall and rested. I was bleeding that badly?! Ilia wasn't lying! We said nothing as we moved away from it and entered a small clearing.

It was absolutely beautiful!

There was an opening in the leaves that allowed sunlight to shine down upon the cool clear water. The grass stopped growing where there was pure white sand, and rocks were decorated nicely over the water as it fell down like tiny falls. The surface seemed to glisten as the sun shone, and the sounds of it falling were calming and peaceful.

"It's pretty, isn't it?" Ilia asked, interrupting my thoughts.

"Yeah!" I replied. This was like playing Twilight Princess in HD! Except that I know it's real life! Of course, there's the possibility that it's a really, really long dream, but I really doubt it now.

Then, I remembered something about the spring water. Whenever Link would go in it, he'd recover hearts. I began to take off my shirt, giving Ilia a puzzled look.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm..." I tried to think of a quick reason to show that I don't know of its healing abilities. "I'm going for a swim!" Yup, good one. She shrugged and said,

"Go ahead, I guess. But aren't you going to get your clothes wet?"

"Eh, just the back." I was already slipping off my shoes and knee highs. What the heck? I took off my gray skirt as well. But I was wearing a pair of black short shorts underneath it, so there's nothing to worry about! So I was once again wearing only my light blue undershirt with small, black shorts, along with my undergarments underneath the clothing.

I walked over to the water and felt it on my toes. Oh, the water is just the right temperature; not too hot and not too cold! I didn't hesitate to stand over it, and rest. I began to float over at the deep side, immersing my back and cuts to the water. Hm, it's deeper than it looks, but that just makes it even better! A creepy feeling went over me; the cuts all over my back were closing! It felt weird to have them close like that, but once I felt that they were gone, it made me more relaxed than ever. This is way better than being in a jacuzzi!

"I'll be right back with Link's horse; he should be done with work by now. I'll give her a bath too!" Ilia said. I turned my head to her, but found that she was already running. Was it because I started swimming? Oh well.

My black hair drifted in the water in different directions, and my arms were spread out, making my body look like a cross. The sun wasn't in my sight so I wasn't blinded, and the heat of the light wasn't very hot either. Everything was just perfect and silent. I wanted to sleep here, but then my fingers and toes would prune. And as much as I would love to fully immerse my body in the spring, I don't want to get my undergarments wet!

Soon enough, light hooves were slowly coming my way. Ilia must be back with Epona! I lifted my head from the water, and gazed in awe at Link's horse.

Epona's coat was a cross between a light brown and a bright chestnut color; and it looked ever so smooth! Her hair, along with her tail, was a pure white hue, and she had the deepest, darkest eyes. I only stared at her amazing form. The only thing that bothered me was that she's much bigger in reality. I forgot how big horses can grow... Seeing me looking at Epona, Ilia giggled at my silence. I glared at her.

"What's so funny?"

"Well, the way you're looking at her is like how you would look at one of the three goddesses!" And she continued to giggle softly. Was my face really that surprised? But seriously, Epona's not just a horse to me; she's _Link's _horse! Besides, Epona's been featured in so many Legend of Zelda games, it's like she's immortal!

I swam back to land to continue to admire the stunning mare. Ilia already brought her closer to be able to wash her thoroughly, so I didn't have to walk that much. A small breeze made it a bit cold for my back since I got soaked, but I didn't mind. I held up my hand slowly to pet Epona's head, and she gladly accepted. She already likes me? Or is it just that she likes being petted? Either way, Epona neighed softly, and closed her eyes as my hand delicately moved up and down her face. I couldn't help but smile. Now, I feel like I don't regret coming here. It made me feel as though I didn't want to leave. Even though the monsters are too realistic and freaky for my taste, just about everything else here in Hyrule was amazing.

_"Get a hold of yourself!"_ I yelled to myself inside my head, _"You've gotta go back to your family! They're probably worried sick about you! You absolutely CANNOT stay here!" _My smile faded at these thoughts. That's true; I can't stay here and admire every single thing in Hyrule. Everyone is most likely searching for me, so I have to get back home as soon as possible. Noticing my sudden melancholy, Ilia asked if there was something wrong. I turned to her.

"I... I guess I'm just feeling homesick." I answered, "Everybody back home is probably worried..." Ilia paused in washing the horse and looked at me with sympathetic eyes. She walked over to me as I lowered my head, thinking of all ways my family and friends could be looking for me.

"Theresa," she said, putting a reassuring hand on my shoulder, "Don't worry about it. I'm sure that if you explain everything that's happened to you, they'll understand." Pfft! Yeah, right! 'Hey Mom, hey Dad! Sorry I was gone for so long, I somehow got to the land of Hyrule and got attacked by a humungous monster bird!' But I nodded anyway, and regained my serene grin. Ilia gave another one of her comforting smiles and resumed in washing Epona. At least she's doing her best to make me feel better.

"So what's your home like?" she asked, pouring water over the horse's back with a bucket she brought. I sat down, cross-legged, next to the clothes I lazily tossed. I rested my chin on a hand before answering.

"Hm, do you mean what it looks like or how it is to live there?" Ilia shrugged.

"How it is to live there." My eyes lowered to stare at the ground in thought.

"Well, my house is on a large hill overlooking much of the land. I don't have many neighbors since their houses are on hills also, but we say 'hi' to each other every now and then. But it's usually nice and peaceful there; the view of the land is nice, even though most of it is covered by buildings. There are hardly any vehicles passing by as well, so there's not much noise. But other than that it's a really great place!" As I began to feel more homesick, Ilia eyed me curiously.

"What 'vehicles' are you talking about?" Oh right, they don't have cars here!

"Um, where I live, technology is more... advanced, so to speak. So we have ways of traveling that are much faster than horseback. But it's noisy when they pass by you so it's not all that good." She looked like she was just more confused, but only continued with the questions.

"Okay... Do you live in a village as well?"

"Actually, it's called a 'city.' It's almost like Castle Town, except bigger than that."

"Ooooh," she said, nodding. But then she stopped herself. "Wait, you know about Castle Town?" I think I stopped breathing for a moment. Aw great, I just revealed a bit more about how I'm from a different world! Or did I? Ilia continued to speak. "If you do, then you must live nearby!" In my mind, I sighed in relief. Good, she still doesn't suspect anything!

"Y-Yeah! Sort of..." I stuttered.

"I'd love to visit sometime and see what these 'vehicles' are."

"NO!" Ilia jumped from my sudden protest. My widened eyes became smaller until I finally returned to being cool and collected. "I m-mean, you wouldn't really want to visit, heh heh heh..." Stopping Epona's bath, she crossed her arms and leaned on one hip.

"Why not? I wanna see all the good things about your home!" I sighed, though obviously not from relief this time.

"Where I come from... Eh, it's not as great as you may think it is."

"Well, you described it to be, quote and quote, 'a really great place.'"

"... But I never mentioned all the negative qualities of my home..." Ilia's eyes held a look of slight worry, but she sat down in front of me and prepared to listen. I continued.

"Like most areas, there's a lot of crimes that happen where I come from. There's kidnappings, murder, deception, and much more. We don't have as much peace as you do, moreover live such a simple lifestyle. We have wars going on between nations from the lies of our leaders. And people cut down the tallest trees and replace them with buildings and businesses, whose leaders only care for money. Then they end up wanting to expand later on. So you'd see more buildings at my home much more than what you'd ever see. And some certain buildings cause a lot of pollution, and kills the earth. You're lucky to live such a simple life and remain happy..."

Now that I thought about it, home isn't all that great. Sure, family and friends make everything better and easier to deal with, but when you truly think about the real problems of the world, then it doesn't really sound like somewhere you'd want to go to...

Ilia looked at me intently as she listened, giving gestures showing that she's paying attention. She'd enlarge her eyes, nod, or just remain silent, and rarely includes a tiny gasp. Hopefully, I've convinced her to not come.

"I'm sorry..." she said in a hushed tone. I was surprised. Why would she apologize? "I'm sorry for asking and making you bring up a bad subject... Either making you homesick or---" I moved my hand up to silence her.

"No, you don't need to be sorry for anything. It's not your fault for anything; that's just how life is at my home. We just deal with it and move on." A tongue-tied moment of silence came upon us that lasted a couple seconds. After a bit longer, Ilia spoke up.

"We should go now. I said that it's back to bed for you when we're done, didn't I?" Oh right, she said that earlier. Forgot about that!

"But I'm feeling better!"

"No buts!" she said playfully, "I'm done cleaning Epona anyway." Doesn't she know about the spring's healing powers and that all my scratches and bruises should be gone by now? Hasn't she been paying attention? What's more, isn't that why Ilia took Epona to the spring when her leg was injured in the game? Eh, whatever. I looked over to the spring again. Oh! The sun was setting anyway! Wow, we've been out this long? Surprisingly, I skipped lunch and I'm not hungry!

"Fine, fine," I finally supposed, "Let's go." A triumphant smile spread across Ilia's face as she turned to pull Epona by the reins. I put on my clothes again and walked with her down the path. Good thing we're getting along well! As we reached Link's house, I saw Link helping Talo with his 'training.' All this time the kids were still here... Wow, Talo really is determined... Link turned to us and waved.

"Hey! You're finally done with Epona?" he asked.

"Yeah, we just got caught up in a conversation!" Ilia replied. Link only smirked and walked over to us. Oh man! How do I look? Sheesh, how should I know? There's no mirror or anything. Oh well, at least my hair is dry and so are my clothes... Sort of...

"I'll take it from here. Thanks for washing her," he said, taking Epona's reins from Ilia. He glanced at me and said, "So, you took a dip in the spring?"

"Is it that obvious?" I asked. Link gave me a playful smile.

"Yeah, it is. Your clothes are a little wet." I started to blush. Damn, my undershirt and short shorts must've been making my polo shirt and skirt wet as well! How embarrassing. Link chuckled as he walked his horse over to where she usually slept.

"Oh!" Ilia chimed, "Link, would you like to join us for dinner tonight?" What?! I'm going to have dinner with _Link_?! Unbelievable! Well, that is if I'm invited.

"Sure! I'll be at your house when I'm done with Talo!" The mayor's daughter nodded and we walked towards the village.

"So, where do I stay?" I asked. She turned to me with the 'You don't know?' look.

"You're staying at my house, of course!" she said, "Besides, nobody else has an extra bed other than Father and I. And don't worry, adding one person to our house won't be any trouble." I thanked her afterwards. Well, it makes sense now that Link's house is only for one resident. And Ilia's house is bigger anyway, what with the wrestling ring in the back and all.

But then a new thought came into my mind. What about that one part in my wish? Would Link really be the love of my life? I looked down at the ground as we sauntered through the wooden houses. Who am I kidding? The game makers included Ilia as Link's childhood friend to get some romantic relationship between the two of them, if not a very close friendship. How would he like me back by the time I return home?

"Theresa!" a voice called. My head jerked up in surprise as I twirled towards Ilia's direction.

"Yeah?"

"The house is right here!" I looked around. Oh, I passed her house and was already starting to enter the ranch where Fado and Link work.

"Oops," I muttered. I quickly jogged to the door of her house and entered. I have to stop daydreaming like that! But how can I _not_ daydream when I'm in the world of my favorite game? And besides, it's what I usually do anyway!

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Alrighty, I forgot to mention a problem: one of my computers is broken ;_; So I might not be able to update as quickly. This is pretty much an early apology just in case I keep ya guys waiting for a while. And I was also a bit lazy in editing this chapter so, sorry if there were any errors... Laterz!


	4. Goodbye?

Author's Note: WHEEEEE!! I got Chapter 4 done! I'm still having a bit of trouble with writing this since my other computer's gone XP BUT have no fear! As long as I get the login password into the laptop, I'll be able to continue writing! :D Alrighty, reviews!

Lady Akhisane: I'll try to write faster _ But thanks anyway for reading my fanfic! And Ilia is a nice girl and all, but I'm jealous of her for being hooked up with Link SOOO many times! :(

SkittyStarikova: Yayz! I got ppl hooked onto my story! :D

Angela: Well, I'd expect that Ilia likes to control things considering how she even yells at Mayor Bo O_O" And there's too much fanart with Ilia and Link together! I don't like that! RAWR!

*drumroll* Ladies and gentleman, heeeerrrrreeeee's CHAPTER FOURRRRRRR!!!! (Note: I don't think I put in as much editing time as I usually do, so sorry if there's any terrible mistakes.)

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Chapter 4 – Goodbye

Ilia's house was still neat and normal just like we left it; all that we had to do now was prepare for dinner. Somehow I was able to pass the day without any breakfast _or_ lunch. I really have no idea how I even got through the day! Well, whatever. At least I'll be able to eat soon.

"Father?" Ilia called, "Theresa and I are back!"

"I'm in the kitchen, Ilia!" he replied, unseen. I didn't even know they had a kitchen... Who knows? Maybe Link has one too. But that's probably just that pot that's always stuck over a fire. "Did you invite Link like I told you to?"

"Yes, Father!" What?! They already planned on eating dinner together?! Why would they do that? I assumed that it was to talk about how I'm gonna get home; I already told Ilia that I'm not from here, and as for Link, I have no idea how he found out. Perhaps Ilia somehow told Mayor Bo about it and set it up with Link. Or maybe I'm just thinking too much...

I took a seat at the stairs leading to the bedroom and continued to ponder about this. Either this is a tough puzzle to solve or I'm going paranoid with the dinner... It took me a little while to notice that Ilia was setting up some dishes and silverware on a round wooden table. I stood up from the stairs and strolled over to her.

"Hey, any way I can help?" I asked.

"Oh! Yeah!" she answered, facing me, "Go ahead and take these cups and place them near the plates." I nodded and carefully took some glasses from her hands, doing my best to imitate the way she held them earlier. I followed her instructions exactly and finished it quickly; hey, my Mom makes me do this kind of stuff too! And I'm still pretty used to doing it fast since I usually want to get to the TV after chores. Once I completed the task, Ilia disappeared somewhere. Hm, maybe she's in the kitchen helping her Dad. Well where is it located anyway? They never had a kitchen in the first place! Or at least none that I recall.

Wandering around the house, I finally came across an arched opening that I never saw before. Then this is probably the kitchen! I entered and found the mayor slicing some vegetables while she was heating up some bread over a fire. Huh, I really expected them to have an oven or something. Oh well. Maybe Hyrule isn't very high in technology yet; either that or they're just making it warmer. I'd better stop thinking too much or my brain's gonna die...

"Hi, Mayor Bo!" I greeted. His closed eyes went to my direction. I always wondered how he saw things with his eyes closed like that. As far as I know, I only remember one time he actually opened them in the game.

"Good evening, Theresa. I assume that you met all the villagers?" he asked, pausing in his work.

"Not everybody; Pergie was too busy and Rusl--- I mean, Uli's husband is on an errand. But other than that, I met most of them."

"Ah, good, good." And on that note, he gave me a quick grin and proceeded in slicing and dicing bright red tomatoes. Frankly, the large old man isn't very neat in cutting something as juicy as tomatoes. Seriously, the juice was pretty much squirting everywhere as he sent the knife down the darn thing!

"May I help you?" He paused once more, and turned.

"Are you sure? You don't really have to."

"Oh, it's alright. I used to help my parents all the time with preparing meals." He seemed a bit hesitant, but he smiled anyway and searched around a bag in some corner of the room. Once he finished, he returned with a fresh, green cabbage.

"I am grateful for your help, Theresa. Can you please tear off the leaves of this cabbage?" Again, I nodded and took the vegetable in my hands. Mayor Bo also gave me a bowl to place the leaves in every time I take them off. It's easy to tell that we'll be serving salad for tonight. I began to take the leaves quickly and ripped them into evenly sized pieces, carefully putting them all inside the bowl.

Back home, we would always buy the pre-made salads from the grocery store rather than make it with the necessary ingredients. It saved us a lot of trouble, but I used to make a lot of sandwiches with cabbage and tomatoes, so I've got some experience with making it.

Once the bowl was nearly full, I gave it to Ilia's father, who added the sliced tomatoes with it and tossed the mixed items around. Mayor Bo once again searched in that brown bag and took out some spinach leaves. I wonder just how many vegetables are in there. Maybe Jaggle sends fresh crops to him or something like that. Either way, everything looked so... brand new! They looked much better than what I find at the grocery store!

"Ilia, is the bread done?" She rotated to face the two of us while holding a plate full of steaming loaves of bread.

"Yes, Father." Even if it was just heated up over a fire, a lovely smell wafted into my nostrils. It was as though they were freshly baked straight from the oven! Hearing my stomach growl loudly, I held it tightly with both my arms as the two turned their attention towards me. I smiled sheepishly.

"Uum, heh heh heh," I started, "I-I haven't had breakfast or lunch yet, so..." And my voice trailed off after that. They both looked at me with an understanding gaze and chuckled briefly. I joined in for a moment with a blush that refused to leave my face, giving my lightly tanned skin a soft red color. After we all calmed down, we began to place the prepared food on the table where we were going to dine for the night. I didn't think that they ate like vegetarians all the time, but that's somewhat expected seeing that they farm for food.

Soon enough, a firm knock was made on the door. It must be Link!

"Come in!" Mayor Bo ordered. The door opened and revealed the young Hero of Hyrule. Honestly, I'm surprised that there weren't any people who followed him back home. It makes it seem like they didn't think much of his endeavor of saving Hyrule...

"Hello, Mayor Bo, Ilia, Theresa," he greeted, holding a bag in his hand. I didn't notice before, but Link looks so cute in that farming outfit! I can only imagine what he looks like in the Hero's Clothes! Well, I've got a pretty good idea what he looks like in it since I've repeatedly defeated Ganondorf in Twilight Princess. But I owned the Wii version, so it's the mirrored type of the whole game. I'm still trying to get used to everything being all switched around.

"Good evening, Link," Ilia said.

"Please, everyone sit, sit!" Mayor Bo bellowed right after his daughter, "We have much to discuss." Hm, maybe they really are going to talk about how I'm gonna get home. Can't be too sure though. Link walked over and explained that he decided to bring some food as well. And seeing that we only have a large bowl of salad and bread, he found that it was the right decision. He revealed what he brought.

It was a neatly wrapped piece of fish that was roasted thoroughly, and rather than giving off a usual raw odor, it smelled delightful; not to mention very appetizing! There's no way I would ever survive on just salad and bread anyway. The fish had a broad nose and a pair of whiskers; it must be an Ordon catfish! All I ever caught in the game in Ordon Village was Gillfish... Those guys are everywhere!

Link set the roasted fish on a plate that Ilia brought over to the center of the table. I sat down at a random seat. I ended up sitting in between Ilia's father and Link. Ilia sat in front of me. Oh my gosh! I'm sitting next to **Link**!!

"Alright, let's eat first, and _then _discuss!" the mayor corrected, instantly taking, like, half the fish. Hey, he's a big guy, I don't blame him! I allowed Link and Ilia to take their piece of the catfish, which left me a decent piece. Eh, I guess that's okay. I filled a small portion of my plate with some salad, and took a small loaf of bread. Silence overcame the dining area, of course excluding the continuous munching and chewing. Oh, don't forget the gulping. We all drank cool water.

That meal was very delicious; the catfish was cooked to perfection! Whoo! Now I know Link knows how to cook! It actually reminded me of my own father's cooking. He would always try to eat healthy, so most of the time he would grill something, usually fish. Link's cooking was almost similar to Dad's... As I began to get lost in my memories, it was easily broken by the mayor's booming voice.

"Ah! That was tasty, Link! Thank you for bringing the fish." Link smiled and waved a hand.

"It's no trouble, Mayor," he said.

"Well then, time to get serious," Mayor Bo finished somewhat sternly. My attention was immediately caught. I'd better listen to this if I'm ever going to get home. "Link, I assume that you are already aware that Miss Theresa's home is not around here." Link nodded.

"Theresa," he continued, turning to me, "Ilia told me about your home while we were in the kitchen. It sounds very different from what might be found around Hyrule. Are you sure that your home isn't nearby?" I paused for a moment. How would they react if I tell them that I'm possibly from a different world?! I can't hide it from them forever, because, well, that's where my home is. Then how can I keep from sounding unbelievable? I gave a small sigh. Might as well come out with it. There's no other way I could tell them.

"Well, I guess you could say that... Would you believe me if I tell you something?" They all just looked more curious rather than puzzled, but their eyes showed that they would. "I... I'm not from this world. Or at least I don't think so..." Now I was just confusing myself!

They all remained quiet. Ugh, I knew they wouldn't believe me! For a while, nobody said anything, but rather, they all just stared at me like I was a freak. It was as though the information was still processing and registering in their minds. I even waved my hand in front of their eyes, and they remained frozen.

"Um, hello?" I said. The three of them flinched.

"S-Sorry, Theresa," Ilia apologized, "It's just that... That's a strange thing to say... Not to mention sort of unlikely." Her father only moved his head up and down in agreement. I glanced at Link, hoping that he would at least say something positive. Finally, he spoke his opinion.

"I believe you." I almost jumped up with joy while Mayor Bo and his daughter looked at him in slight disbelief. They obviously wanted an explanation.

"It makes sense that her clothing isn't anything like ours," Link started, "She can be from another world like that. And then what about that Kargaroc? They don't usually attack just anybody. And if they do, they'd just kill them on the spot. It's already weird that it would bring her all the way here without killing her." Okay, it was obvious that he was making up the second reason, but Ilia and Mayor Bo seemed to buy it! After some thought about this, the mayor nodded and said,

"Very well. If you are really from another world, then we'll help you return!" He sounded so confident that he could help me, but I had no idea what was on his mind. Moreover, that was a rather quick answer. His voice didn't even carry the slightest amount of hesitation.

"Yeah," Ilia joined in, "We'll do all we can to get you back. Don't worry; I'm sure that there must be some way for you to get back home." Link was in deep thought, or at least he looked like it since he was giving the same face that I would make when I daydream.

"Maybe we can get you back the way you came in. Why don't you tell us everything that happened to you recently?" I really didn't think that it would work, but it might give them an idea. I told them everything; about that weird dream with the creation of Hyrule, that wish I made a year ago, and the sudden earthquake and falling through the floor. They were intrigued by the narrative and listened to everything I said. It took up a good five minutes or so until I was done.

"Well, we certainly can't get you back by waiting for a shooting star!" the mayor pointed out. Pfft, yeah, no kidding.

"I have an idea!" Ilia yelled, snapping. We all stared at her closely, willing to take any idea that might work. "There are rumors that our ruler, Princess Zelda, is gifted with a power by the three goddesses. Maybe she can use that power to return you home!" We all took this in consideration, and finally agreed that I would travel to Castle Town to see her. Yet one problem came into my mind.

"But aren't there a lot of monsters out there like that Kargaroc that attacked me?" I have no knowledge of fighting whatsoever and I don't think I can handle the monsters as easily as Link can. Almost as soon as I finished pointing this out, Link added,

"That's why I'm coming with you." I almost yelled out a disbelieving 'WHAT?!' but held it. He's going to escort me to Hyrule Castle?!

"What?!" Ilia said instead. I jumped a little. She was a bit loud.

"Ilia, this seems to be the best decision. We can't risk her safety," he explained.

"It's true," her father agreed, "If Theresa is to return home safely, then Link should go with her." Ilia looked like she was about to cry, which made me feel both confused and guilty.

"But you can't go!" she wailed. Not like a baby, but more like begging. "You just returned home six months ago from your journey! Must you leave again?!" So Link defeated Ganondorf six months ago. Wow, that's not too long ago... Well it sort of is, but time flies by fast, y' know? Understanding Ilia's concern, I spoke up, much to my dislike.

"Well... I don't _have _to go travel with Link anyway... I can take care of myself I guess." The three of them looked at me in surprise. Heck, even Ilia was taken off guard. I went on somewhat shakily, "Just give me a horse and some food tomorrow morning and I'll be out of your way."

As a strange silence came, I decided to take my dishes to the kitchen, leaving the three of them to talk amongst themselves. I didn't bother listening in; all I heard was Ilia complaining. As much as I hate to go without Link, I think I can just outrun the monsters with a horse. That's what I did in the game when I'm low on hearts anyway. So what difference does it make in reality?

By the time I exited the kitchen and reached the stairs, I continued to hear the three of them arguing and listing out options that would satisfy everyone. Again, I didn't bother to listen in. All I did was give them a quick glance, and then went upstairs. I didn't know why I was feeling all depressed and emo-ish now; maybe I'm just disappointed that I can't be with Link? I really didn't know, but I just crawled into bed and forced my eyes to close until I eventually slept.

~ : ~ : ~

Despite my request to have a horse and some food by the next day, I ended up waiting for two days. On the bright side, I've gotten pretty close with the villagers, especially the kids. I'd play as the bad guy while Talo and Colin would try to defeat me whenever I went to hang out with them. Of course, being the tall girl that I am, I easily beat them and gave a signature "MUAHAHAHAHA!" every time I was victorious. Later on, I decided that I should pretend to be weak; I didn't want to break their self-esteem or anything.

And amazingly, I also got to know Ilia pretty well.

We had a lot in common in terms of favorite colors and hobbies; though I would've never imagined that Ilia loves to draw as well. We became pretty close in that short amount of time, and I was a little sad to leave Ordon Village. This was all like a life that I always wanted to live; the only thing that was missing was my own family.

Link seemed to be a loner since he would just work and then go home for the day. And by that time, I'd be relaxing in the spring by myself.

It was almost as if Link was avoiding me...

Whatever, not that I'd see him again after this anyway. But I really thought that I would get a chance to spend time with him; heck, I never even saw him work at the ranch! Well, nobody really gets everything they want anyway.

Also, throughout those two days, I was given early good-bye gifts. I was given new clothing from Sera and her family; hey, I had to change sometime! It looked sort of formal, but it was nice. Jaggle and his family gave me a bag full of food that should stay fresh for a while, and would last me for three days minimum. Uli and Colin (and their mysterious baby) gave me a spare weapon that Rusl hardly used. It was a regular dagger, but it was larger than a usual one. Nonetheless, it was easy to hide and just for emergencies. And from Mayor Bo and Ilia, they ordered Fado to get me a horse. It was a black horse with a white streak down its face, and its hair and tail were pure white as well. She didn't have a name, so I gave her a simple one, yet one of my favorites: Mei.

I was now preparing for my trip to Castle Town, wearing the dress that Sera gave me. It was a small black dress that fit me perfectly. It was slim fit and had short sleeves. The dress ended in between my thighs and knees; I guess it would be around 2-3 inches above my knee. It came with a small short sleeved jacket as well. It was a stunning gold color, and its sleeves were sort of... poofy... The jacket was small so that it ended somewhere in my upper back area. I also wore black knee highs with strange dark shoes; they looked like boots but they weren't as tall... And just in case, I wore my short shorts underneath my dress. As for my hair, I just let it fall to my shoulders while my side bang hung right over my right eye. Sera said that she once wore this when she was younger to go to Castle Town to celebrate a holiday.

_"It may not be the best for traveling, but it's decent enough. And I won't have you see the Princess herself dressed in something unpresentable!"_ she said as I tried it on yesterday. My school uniform isn't presentable? Then again, not really. Even Zelda would think it strange to be dressed in such a fashion.

The rest of my clothing and shoes were stored in a bag, which were all washed by Ilia the day before.

Mei already had a saddle strapped onto her back that held supplies for traveling. A sleeping bag, and a large bag with many pockets and compartments on it were attached on either side of her saddle. All the villagers came to see me off; all except for Link. I was at the path that led to Link's house--- I mean, the exit. I didn't have that much experience riding a horse, but I knew enough to ride one. Seriously, I only went horseback riding twice!

"Good luck, m'dear!" Sera said, waving to me among the crowd.

"Thank you!" I replied.

"Come back soon!" the kids said in random order. I only smiled towards them and waved them good-bye. I used my left foot to step on the stirrup iron and swung the other side of my body onto the seat. Wow! I didn't think it was going to be that easy! The last time I went horseback riding, I needed the help of the guide to get up. Maybe I grew or something. And my dress didn't get ruined or revealed anything in the process (thank goodness!). Ilia walked up to me and Mei with a saddened smile.

"I hope you return home safely," she said, "Maybe we'll be able to see each other again."

"Thanks, and I hope so too." But honestly, I didn't think so. How would there be any way for me to return? I gave one last look at all the villagers, who were looking at me with sorrowful grins as well. I felt like I was going to cry.

"Thank you all for your kindness and hospitality," I addressed to all of them, "I'll try to come and visit you guys every now and then. I promise!" They all replied with their own answers or comments, each of their voices distinguishable, but said altogether to where I can't hear them all. "Goodbye!"

I kicked Mei in the sides and she began to run. As I gained more and more distance, all their good-byes were getting fainter and fainter. Surprisingly, it was easier to ride a horse than I thought! If it were not such a rough ride, then I might've been a bit more comfortable. I passed by Link's house, but looked away. I felt a bit angry with him; really, he didn't even wish me good luck or anything! He didn't even talk to me once after that dinner... And all that time I really thought that he was a great guy...

Tears threatened to pour out for two reasons: one, I'm leaving a village that pretty much became my second home. And two, Link ignored me! I breathed in to keep them from coming; this isn't a time to cry.

Mei and I ran past the entrance to Ordon Spring and onto the long, rickety bridge. It was rather sturdy to be able to hold all this weight, and it's longer than what it looks like in the game. We had to wait, like, two minutes to finally reach the earth again. After that, we kept on going until I finally reached a problem that I didn't think about earlier: there was a wooden gate stuck between me and Faron Spring. This must be the border between the Ordona and Faron provinces, but enough of that. The problem is that I can't make a horse jump over it!

I just sat there on top of Mei trying to figure out how to do it. Well let's see, in the game I'd make Epona speed up until she automatically jumps over it. Hm, would that work? Eh, worth a shot. And if it doesn't work, then I'm so screwed!

Pulling on the reins, my horse obediently backed up a good distance. I took a couple of deep breaths and leaned forward.

"Alright, Mei," I whispered in her ear, "Don't fail me now." Not that I spent a lot of time with her... I kicked her sides hard, causing her to neigh loudly and stand on her two hind legs. I nearly lost balance, but kept my legs firm around her sides and held on tight to the reins. This is so scary! Once she stood on four feet once more, she raced forward, not even allowing me a moment to collect myself. I hung onto the saddle tightly with one hand while the other was still glued on to the reins. Closing my eyes tightly, I waited for the jump.

Another neigh came from my horse, and I felt myself lift up, and then a rough landing was made. I felt Mei slow down to a complete stop before opening my eyes slowly and hesitantly. I'm ALIVE!! What was facing me now was Faron Spring! I turned my head to find the gate behind me as well. I made it! I actually made it! Still breathing heavily, I put a hand to my chest in relief. After a few moments of rest, I continued and made a right turn where Coro's house is located. Y' know? The guy with the afro who sells lantern oil?

He was just sitting on that usual tree stump, staring at the floor while small birds gathered on top of his hair. Coro noticed me and looked up. He gave me a smile and greeted,

"Oh, hey there, miss! Do you need anything?" I shook my head and replied,

"No thank you, I---"

"Well, do I have a deal for you!" he interrupted, reaching behind himself. I didn't think he was so enthusiastic about selling things. Oh well. Soon enough, Coro was holding a lantern in his hand.

"Tell ya what? I'll give ya this lantern for free! It's a good business tactic!" I blinked a couple times. He's actually giving me a lantern?! And it looks exactly like Link's! Wait, why am I still crazy for him anyway? He ignored me for two days! Jerk... Taking the lantern in my hands and attaching it to one of my bags, I thanked him. "Would you like to buy some extra oil with that, miss?" It's already filled with oil? Wow, I've got a feeling that he's gonna be a really good business man!

"Nah, I don't have any money or bottles with me right now," I said, "But I'll come back to you if I need any." Coro looked happy about that, and he nodded. Well he's a nice guy! After exchanging names (even though I already knew his) I began to ride again. As I reached the entrance to Hyrule Field, there were still those two purple goblin-things that stood there throughout the whole game. They would just walk around with their weapons resting on their shoulder, just doing nothing until something comes close to them. I wonder how they even survive!

Their heads jerked up as they heard Mei's hooves coming closer to them, and they took baby steps as they ran. Sheesh I can outrun them even without Mei! I easily passed them and they gave up as I got farther and farther from them. The sun shone brightly this morning with a nice view of the sky and a few white, puffy clouds hanging there.

Hyrule Field was a wonderful sight, excluding the monsters running and flying around in random places. Other than that, it looked so much better than the game! The plains were far and wide, and the grass was a bright green as it was bathed in sunlight. Taking a breath of fresh air, I urged Mei on until she ran. The wind danced through my loose hair as I leaned forward while riding. This was a really nice feeling; almost like a feeling of adventure.

The thing is that once I see Zelda, my little "adventure" will be over...

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Watch out for Chapter 5! Don't forget to review!


	5. A Siren's Call

Author's Note: Alright, I know I took longer than usual to update, but I've decided to take it a little slower. Not the story, but when it comes to editing and stuff like that. Ever since my computer broke, I've been getting less computer time, so I've been going crazy and paranoid over it! (Seriously, whenever I finally get the chance to go on it, I swear my eyes are dying :O ) So I'm sorry to those who want me to update quickly, but I'm gonna have to slow down on that. Thank you to all the reviewers! I really appreciate the comments!

Lady Akhisane: Lol, ya I don't like Ilia much either, but I still tried my best to make her look nice in the last chapter (which probably didn't work out too well...)

DantesArdor: Sadly, there hasn't been any good news on my broken computer :'( And I think I gave Link a decent amount of dialogue in this chapter, so I hope all the readers are satisfied with this!

Angela: GAH! I can't write that fast! :O Sorry to say this, but I think I'll be getting some time away from the computer so that my eyes survive XD

ZeldaMoogle: *sweat drop* Damn, was it obvious what Zelda's going to say? Lol jk jk XD But hey, you might be right!

Okay, now that reviews are done, here's the new chapter!

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Chapter 5 – A Siren's Call

In Twilight Princess, it would be such a short ride for Link and Epona to start from Ordon Village and go all the way to Kakariko Village. Heck, the sun would still be up! I thought that that would be the same case for me and Mei... Unfortunately, it wasn't. It ended up taking me a whole day to get there!

It was tougher than I thought to go on a journey alone. I pretty much had a routine the whole way there: stop, eat, feed Mei, continue, stop, eat, and feed Mei, until the sun was finally setting. Moreover, every time I got off of Mei, my legs would feel sooo sore from all the riding. After sundown, I was weary, tired, and wanted to just stop this journey and wait for my death to come. But I had to get home and most importantly, I didn't want to die!

Another annoying thing was that I would always hear the sound of hooves, and it wasn't Mei's! Every so often in my trip, I'd look over my shoulder to make sure that no one's following me, only to find that there was nobody there. I knew that Bulblins wouldn't hide, and instead they would charge like maniacs and fight anybody head-on. But this was just getting more and more mysterious. Whenever I'd resume riding, that sound could be heard from behind. Sometimes I'd ignore it, and other times it would scare the crap out of me, especially as the sun was setting, it made it sound like a ghost on a horse was following me.

All in all, I was able to make it to Kakariko Village safely (mostly from outrunning the monsters), and I met Renado, Luda, and Barnes there! Renado is such a nice guy! He allowed me to stay for the night in the inn, and he and his daughter even offered me food. I was so thankful and glad that I was able to find a place to stay; resting every now and then in the field wasn't the best way to nap. Mei was drinking water from Eldin's Spring and rested outside while I stared at the night sky. I leaned forward on the railing of the inn's porch with a cup of water in my hand. Stars speckled the black atmosphere, making a wonderful, calming picture.

I took a sip of my cold drink as I thought about what's happened to me. Everything seems nice here in Hyrule, besides the whole "getting captured by a Kargaroc" thing. Other than that, everything else was cool. As my gaze fell upon the diamonds in the sky, I wondered if by any chance I'd see another shooting star and wish myself back home. That would be nice, but maybe not until I meet the rest of the main characters. Soon enough, fatigue was overcoming my thoughts, so I headed back inside the inn and slept.

~ : ~ : ~

The next morning, Renado and Luda gave me food for me to cook in the inn, such as eggs, bread, and sausages. Who knew that their food was similar to the food in my world? I made breakfast for myself and I invited them over as a gift for their hospitality. But they said that they didn't want to trouble me with the extra cooking, so I complied and kept the extra supply with the rest of my food for traveling. I helped Barnes with his store and with cleaning it up a little; trust me it's messier than it looks! The whole time I was helping Barnes organize his store, he was making me laugh! He's such a funny and goofy guy! I don't know why Renado would ignore him in the game... But either way, I befriended the three of them easily, and as for the Gorons, they sort of scared me, so I stayed away from them. They're SO much taller and bigger than what they look like in the game! I knew I would have to leave soon, but I didn't really want to... This actually reminded me of when I was in Ordon Village; how they helped me, how I became well acquainted with them. It almost seemed like home, except without the technology and extra buildings.

Now it was the afternoon, and I finished eating my lunch inside the inn. It was rather warm outside, making me sweat a little. Ugh, and they didn't have any fans! Great, I'm going to ruin Sera's dress... Wait a minute! Maybe I can wash these clothes and let them dry, and then I'll leave tonight. Yeah, that's probably a good plan. Dumping the dishes in the kitchen, I stripped myself of the semi-formal attire and was once again left in my light blue undershirt, black shorts, and of course what's underneath it. I took my clothes, a towel from the restroom and an extra pair of flip-flops that Luda provided me with. I just remembered that there was a hot spring up on top of the roof, so it would be nice to take a dip while washing.

I stepped outside of the building, where a huge wave of heat greeted me. I shaded my eyes from the blinding sun and continued to walk. I was wrapped tightly with the towel to keep from exposing myself without too much clothing, and went up the sandy hill that led to the rooftops.

"Hi, Theresa!" yelled a voice out of nowhere. I flinched a bit in surprise and turned around. Oh, it's only Luda. She stood at the front door of the shrine and was waving to me. I waved back.

"Hi, Luda!" I replied.

"What are you doing?"

"Oh, I'm going up to the hot spring! I'm going to wash my clothes and relax while I'm at it!" Luda walked over to me as I stepped off the hill. Before I could tell her that I wanted to get there, she already had a suggestion in mind.

"Y' know there are Gorons that stay up there for a loooong time," she explained, "It's probably best not to go there since you're the only girl." That comment made me blush in embarrassment; oh, right, how could I forget about the Gorons up in that hot spring? I chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of my head.

"Oh... Um, I knew that... So what do you think I should do?" Placing her hand over my dress, she answered,

"Here, why don't you let me wash your clothes for you? There's a secret passage over there that leads to the back of Eldin's Spring. You don't wanna go to a _hot_ spring in the middle of a warm afternoon!" Wow, she had a good point there.

"Eh, are you sure that you wanna wash my clothes? 'Cause I can do it myself."

"No seriously, it's no trouble!" I began to feel bad that Luda was doing this for me, even if she was the one who offered in the first place. But if she insisted, then it's probably best to let her. I handed my clothing to her with a soft grin on my face.

"Thanks, Luda! You're a big help!"

"No problem! I'll tell you when the clothes are done drying up." And with that, she began to walk away, waving 'Bye' to me in the process. Keeping a hand tight on the towel around my body, I made my way to that secret passage. Oh yeah! I made Link blow up that huge boulder next to the spring in the game! I stepped over the pile of rocks and pebbles and ambled through the large opening, revealing a cavern with another path and a couple of rotting wooden boxes. There were two Cuccos there too! I wonder how they got here in the first place... They made a clucking noise with each step they took, and flew as far away from me as possible if I even got within six feet of them. Well, they act exactly like chickens, not to mention look like them. I ignored them and went on.

Soon, I was standing on a ledge looking over a deep pool of sparkling water. Just like Ordon's Spring, there was an opening in the ceiling of the stone walls that allowed sunlight to pour above the water, which gave it a glittering effect. It looked so refreshing and I just couldn't wait to get there! I placed my towel over the edge of the ridge and put a heavy pebble on the towel so that it wouldn't fall off. The distance between the water and the ledge wasn't as tall as I imagined it to be, so it would be safe to dive. But I decided to just do the original "cannonball." I remember once on vacation I tried diving off a rock this tall. That only ended with a painful belly-flop...

My warm body collided with the cool water, making me shiver for a moment as I went up to get air. But I was able to get used to it after a few minutes of swimming around. I felt like all my worries and stress was washed away with the dirt on my body and hair, and I closed my eyes and relaxed. I wondered if all the springs in Hyrule were this serene. I remained floating for a while and I lost track of the time. But once I felt like opening my eyes, Kakariko Village was bathed in twilight.

Speaking of which, if this time is after Link's adventure, then I won't be able to meet Midna... Dammit! At first, I thought that she was some conceited bitch who just bossed Link around, but later on in the game I ended up liking her. Her powers were so awesome! I was disappointed in the game that she had to destroy the Mirror of Twilight and remain in the Twilight Realm forever. I didn't want her to be gone! And if she were still here, I would've loved to meet her, especially since she would be in her true form. When my mind finally returned to earth later, I grabbed my hanging towel from the ledge. It caused the pebble to fall down as well, but thankfully it missed my head and sunk to the bottom. I held the towel high to keep it from getting wet as I treaded the water to the top of the spring. I stood and jumped down the small waterfall, drying my hair with the towel as I sauntered past my horse. Mei was taking yet another drink from the spring; she must like it a lot! I gave her a quick pet on the head before moving on. She acknowledged me with a gentle neigh and a glance of her dark gaze.

"Theresa!" Luda's voice called from a window of the shrine. I looked up to her direction as she continued. "Your clothes are dry now and I put them in your room, okay?"

"'Kay! Thanks Luda!" She gave me a warming smile as she disappeared into her home, but there was something else in that smile. Almost like Luda's hiding something... Oh well, but either way, she's such a big help! I have to admit, I became friends with her a lot faster than I expected. And honestly, Luda is kinder than Ilia, not that Ilia's a terrible friend!

I reentered the inn with my hair not-so-wet anymore and looking like seaweed hanging over my face. I already wiped my legs so I didn't have to worry about wetting the floor. Humming a tune to myself, I went up the stairs and opened the door to my room. My tune died down as I looked at what, or more like _who_ was in my room...

Link!

He was just sitting on top of my bed with his head low and his eyes closed; he was probably resting. His dirty blonde hair was hanging right over his eyelids, and he was garbed in the Hero's Clothes. My dress was next to him, so maybe he delivered it? Or maybe not. The meeting would've been nice... If I were not just wearing my undershirt and shorts!

"OH MY GOD!" I shrieked. Link's head jerked up and he hit the back of his head on the wall. He grunted a little bit, but when he saw me, he immediately knew what the problem was.

"I-I---" he stuttered, but I interrupted him.

"Get the hell out of my room!" I pulled his arm and pushed him outside, slamming the door on him before he could say anything. My face was hot, and my grip on my towel around me was tighter than before. How embarrassing!

"T-Theresa," I heard his voice, "I d-didn't mean to s-see you like that!" I could imagine his face red like how it was back at Ordon Village. Yeah, that's probably what he looks like now. It was silent between the two of us as I leaned my back on the door. I could feel his weight go on the door as well, so he was probably leaning too.

"What... What are you doing here?" I asked, calming down a bit. Link answered, sighing,

"I didn't think it would be safe for you to go out alone," he explained, "When you went to bed that night, Mayor Bo and I continued to argue with Ilia. She didn't want me to leave, and she looked so sad... I..." He paused for a moment. I waited, and slid down the door until I was sitting. I was more comfortable sitting anyway.

"I didn't want to leave so soon either, but not too long after you left, the Postman came." Oh yeah, I remember that guy! He never really had a proper name other than Postman... "He gave me an urgent letter from the Princess, so I _had_ to go anyway. Ilia finally gave in and let me go, and told me that if I ran into you, I have to keep you safe."

Yeah, nice contradiction there, Ilia! Keep him from leaving and let me deal with the monsters on my own, and when the Princess actually calls him, _then_ make him protect me!

"Then why did you ignore me for the past two days?"

"Ignore you? You were the one ignoring me!"

"What are you talking about?"

"After work at the ranch, I would always look for you to explain what happened after you went to sleep. But I could never seem to find you, and it's hard to leave Fado alone with the goats. He can't really deal with them as well as I do." Huh, that was true. Fado never coped well with the goats; at some point in the game, if you kept talking to Mayor Bo, a goat would come charging out of nowhere and then you'd have to stop it. I used to do that all the time just for the hell of it!

But back to reality, whenever Link would get out of work, maybe that's when I went off to the spring by myself? It was a great place to think, and I never really told anybody where I was; it's the only way I could think of to make sure I get some "alone" time. So... Link really _wasn't_ ignoring me? That's a relief!

"But anyways," Link continued, "If I hurt you from this misunderstanding, then I'm sorry." Wow, he's apologizing to me? What a sweet guy!

"Alright," I said, "I forgive you." Seriously, how could I refuse?

"Thanks," he replied. Now I felt as though a huge weight was lifted away from me. Wow, was I holding a grudge or something? Eh, whatever. But there was another thing that I wanted to clear up.

"So... What was the letter about?" Link didn't answer for a while. I didn't hear him walk away or anything, and I could still see his shadow through the bottom of the door. Maybe he's thinking about it.

"Actually, I'm not sure if I should tell you," he finally said, "I guess you could say it should be kept secret." As he explained, I stood up and began to put on the dress, jacket, and knee highs. After that, I slipped on the shoes and opened the door. Yup, Link was leaning on it alright, so it was hard for me to push it open before he got off of it. Once he regained his balance, I crossed my arms and put on a playful smile.

"Tch, fine then, don't tell me." But I gave him a look that said 'I'll find out sooner or later.' Link only smirked back, and I allowed him to enter my room. Good thing that we kissed-and-made up and we're friends again! Well... I _wish_ the kissing part was true... We both sat down on the bed and I told him my plan.

"Renado and Luda have already given me more food for the rest of the trip. So I was thinking that after I gathered some stuff, I would be going out again by nighttime."

"Actually, it's not really safe to go traveling at night," he objected, "I think we should stay another night before continuing." Aw, well scratch that idea. I'd better listen to the experienced traveler. After sighing, I nodded and listened to him.

"Good. Luda set up a room for me right next door for me while you were out for a swim. If ya need anything, I'll be right there." Geez, Luda can do anything, can't she?! But that's what I like about her; she's a reliable friend! I just hope that no one takes advantage of her. Link exited my room and wished me good night. Once I heard his door close, I sighed dreamily and fell on my bed.

Oh, Link is SO hot in the Hero's Clothes! I hugged a pillow tightly as I grinned widely to myself. Now I'm sure that we'll be traveling together! Even if it's only up until Castle Town, it'll all be worth spending time with the famous Hero of Hyrule. I could hardly contain my excitement, but I somehow managed to reduce it to choking the fluffy pillow in my grip and biting on it whenever I felt like squealing. Oh God I feel like those preppy fan girls... Wait, I am a fan girl, but not preppy. I'm absolutely sure of that. I closed the door to my room and fell into a deep sleep on my bed.

~ : ~ : ~

Guess what I did the next morning? I ate breakfast with **Link**!! I felt so happy on the inside, but somehow I was able to look perfectly normal. However I would always worry if I was blushing or showing any signs of liking him. Of course, as a fan girl of the Legend of Zelda series, I'd have a crush on Link! The only thing is that I wouldn't show it around my other gaming friends; otherwise it would sort of be awkward. Any time Link would ask me if something's wrong, I'd do my best not to stutter. Usually it worked, other times I wasn't so lucky. Thankfully, he didn't suspect anything. Why am I acting all crazy for him all of a sudden? Well, it's probably because I found out that I'm going to travel with him!

The two of us said goodbye to Renado and Luda and thanked them for their hospitality. As for Link, it was a small reunion, but he told them that he had important business with Princess Zelda. They understood and gave him extra food for the journey as well. And as for Barnes, he wasn't properly introduced to Link at first, so they weren't well acquainted with each other except for buying bombs. I said goodbye to him anyway, and he thanked me for helping him organize his store better; honestly, it's a messy store! It was no problem at all now that it looks better! As a goodbye present, Barnes gave me something unexpected, yet obvious due to his only merchandise: a bomb bag and bombs!

I felt so thrilled to own another weapon, but the thing is I don't know how to use explosives... I decided I'll ask Link later, so I stuffed it in one of the bags attached to Mei's saddle. Later that morning, we got our horses and rode off the other side of Kakariko Village. Once again, the sun was beating down on us as we continued on to Castle Town. Good thing the wind blows against my face so I don't sweat too much. After perhaps half an hour of riding (which was starting to make me really, really sore), Link stopped in front of me. I pulled on Mei's reins until she stopped as well.

"What's wrong?" I asked. Link only held up a finger toward me and a stern 'Ssh!' I was wondering what he was doing, until I noticed that his ears were sort of... twitching? I guessed that he was listening to something, but I myself heard nothing. I put a hand behind my ear to listen closely, closed my eyes, and tried to hear something... Anything that might be suspicious...

I heard... singing?

The feminine voice sung a beautiful tune, but it was so distant that I was straining to listen.

"Do you hear that?" he asked without facing me.

"Yeah, but barely..." I answered. I continued to listen to the hushed voice, being somewhat mesmerized by it myself, but nonetheless uninterested. We have to get to Zelda soon if I want to return home and if Link wanted to... whatever he was called to do.

"Hey Link, we---" But without warning, he kicked Epona in the sides and bounded off. "Hey! Wait!" He didn't stop. I growled under my breath and kicked Mei. With a loud neigh, she began to run as well. Link and Epona weren't going too fast, so I had to slow down a bit so that I didn't pass him. I noticed that we were going off course and away from the route towards Castle Town. What the hell is he thinking?!

"Link, what are you doing?!" I yelled. He didn't answer. Link's cerulean eyes were locked onto something, but all I saw was grass. It was just the regular, endless plains of Hyrule Field. Wait a minute... The area started to change. The light was dimming, trees were becoming more visible, and the lush grass was soon reduced to a dirt road with hardly any plants.

It looked like we were in a dark forest.

What's going on? I didn't remember any forest being in Hyrule other than Faron Woods. But that's about it, and the forest that we're in doesn't look anything like Faron Woods. Another thing that I noticed: the singing was getting louder. I could hear the music clearly as Link and I progressed through the path. Every time I would glance at him, his eyes were merely staring forward. It was as though he was hypnotized. Link continued to go on as though I wasn't even there, so I had to go on also. I can't just leave him!

In time, a clearing appeared. The trees were no longer forming just one path, but rather they stopped the path and surrounded a large area. Within this clearing, there was a tree stump, a large pool, and... Something else that was a blur to me. The voice was loud and clear now, and it sounded like a woman (except no one was there). The song sounded beautiful, yet depressing. I don't know how it sounds sad, but something about it just makes it so. Link jumped off Epona's back and landed on his feet perfectly. On the other hand, I had some trouble getting off while trying to avoid ripping my dress.

Link didn't look scared in the least. But rather, this seemed to be the source of his strange behavior.

I was actually freaked out by this. It's a frickin' voice coming from nowhere! How is this _not_ creepy?! Actually, whatever this blur was was now becoming slightly clearer; something was glowing above the tree stump. I rubbed my eyes to see if I was going crazy, but instead my vision got clearer. Squinting, I saw that it was a floating blue orb in dark blue flames, however there were multiple chains wrapped tightly around it and attached to the floor around the stump. As I stared at it, I felt a type of emotion; a very strong one, at that.

What was it?

Sorrow...?

Link began to walk towards it, his eyes showing that he wanted more of the music. I was baffled. Why is he heading towards that ghostly thing? His eyes didn't look focused at all, and his eyelids were drooping somewhat.

"Link!" I yelled to him as the distance between us grew. He continued. With a frustrated groan, I power-walked in front of him and got a firm grip on his shoulders. Shaking him, I continued, "LINK!" The young Hylian stopped walking, but didn't even look at me. Not even a glance. He just kept on staring past me and at whatever was on that chopped tree. But then...

The singing stopped.

I felt confused, but was relieved that Link got back to his senses. He shook his head a couple times with his hand to his forehead, all the while giving puzzled glances.

"Where are we?" he asked. I had to bite my lower lip to keep myself from exploding in anger. Seriously, what the hell?!

"I should be the one asking _you_ that!" I snapped, making him flinch a little, "You were the one who brought us here and listening to that thing!" As I said the words "that thing," I pointed over to where the chained sphere was floating. Link only stared at me. He'd look back to the stump, then at me. I'm pretty sure he's done that about five times before talking.

"What are you talking about? I don't see anything." My jaw dropped. How can he _not_ see the freaky floating ball there?! He was the one who was listening to it. Shaking my head, I looked down.

"Forget it. Let's---"

"Look out!" Suddenly, Link pushed me towards Mei and Epona. I fell to the floor hard and saw that he got hit by something. It looked like water, except it looked like it was being shot at him a hundred miles per hour. He got blown all the way back to a tree, denting the bark badly.

"LINK!" I yelled, standing up to go to his aid. But another shot of liquid barely missed my face as I attempted to get to him. Turning around to the pool of water, I saw nothing but a blue-green basin floating on the surface. At the corner of my eye, the orb thingy shook left and right, but was unable to move much from being held down by the chains. I could hear it, sort of.

_"No! Stop it!" _it seemed to call to the weird basin. Keeping an eye on it, it began to move. Then, suddenly it jumped out of the small lake. Well, there was something underneath it too. It landed on the floor, which gave me a better look at it. My once alarmed expression immediately turned into a "What the Fuck" face.

Its height was equivalent to that of a child, but its appearance was nothing similar to one! It looked like a monkey with no tail, and had webbed hands and feet. Rather than brown or black fur, it had blue-green scales, and what's even stranger, the basin I saw earlier was attached to the top of its head. Although it looked so weird, I couldn't help but wonder where I've seen it before. The thing curled its lips back into a snarl, revealing sharp fangs as a growl escaped its lips as its black eyes looked at Link.

_"Stay away from my Mistress!" _it said, though its lips didn't move at all. Obviously, the comment was directed towards Link, who was moaning from the shot. I moved my head a bit to the side in slight disbelief of what it was, or even what the hell it was talking about. But before I could think even more, it sucked in some air, and shot more water at me. I ducked just in time for it to miss, but it hit right above Link's head.

Wait, was it aiming for me or for Link?

He cursed to himself as he moved away from the creaking (and slightly leaning) tree; damn, that blast must be really hard! I quickly went to him and helped him limp back behind horses, which were neighing in panic. I was surprised that they weren't running away to save their own lives. Link held onto his side tightly and would sometimes cry out in pain. I had no idea how to heal him or how to even defeat this (oddly familiar) creature.

What do I do now?!

* * *

*gasp* What is this new enemy that they must battle?! Find out in the next chapter!

P.S.  
Free chocolate chip cookie to whoever can guess the weird monkey creature! *holds out cookie* Hint: It's in Japanese folklore. Good luck! Look out for Chapter 6!


	6. My First Real Fight!

Author's Note: Omg, I finally finished this chapter! I got painters at my house re-painting the rooms, so they have to disconnect the Internet whenever they're working... ;_; I've also got too much reading to do in the summer, and it's been getting in the way of writing... *sniff* *sob*

ZeldaMoogle: Huh, I thought it's a blue orb... Oh well. And sorry, it's not a Pokemon. But a crossover between them would be pretty cool! :D

Lady Akhisane: Haha! I know, he looks SOOOO hot in that tunic! Lol, and sorry about the Gorons, I forgot about them... :(

DantesArdor: *bell rings* YES! It's a Kappa! Congratulations, you just won yourself a cookie! *gives cookie*

So, here's Chapter 6!

* * *

Chapter 6 - My First (Real) Fight!

Link and I were caught in quite a dilemma: we were cornered by some weird monkey thing and hiding behind our horses, which are neighing like crazy and yet are unable to run away somehow. Seriously, there was a path in here, there has to be one leading out! Oh look, it's right there, and Epona and Mei aren't leaving. That's what I call loyal!

But I don't wanna risk getting our horses hurt, so Link and I need to find a different way of hiding.

"Link! Are you alright?!" I asked frantically. He continued to hold his right arm over his left side. The torso of his clothing was completely soaked from the shot, and thankfully, there's no sign of blood anywhere. Maybe that attack was only meant to feel like a tough beating? Either way, I felt somewhat relieved. Taking a couple of breaths, Link nodded.

"I'm fine," he said, "But you need to get out of here! Take your horse and run!" I frowned, but before I could protest, a blur rushed through the treetops and landed on a branch to our left. Shit, it's that monster! Grabbing Link by the arm, I ran as fast as I could to the trees ahead of us; I felt some drops of water land on my back as the water made impact with the floor. We both put our backs to one of them, breathing hard from either exhaustion or fear. I didn't know about Link, but I'm sure that I was breathing hard from fear! Well, I don't run too often either but still, I felt so afraid!

Who wouldn't be afraid when you've got a freaky monkey demon shooting water at you like a bullet?!

A loud splash could be heard from behind us; it must've dove into the pool again. I ignored it and continued with my objection.

"I can't leave you here!"

"No! It's too dangerous, Theresa! You _have_ to get out!" I felt angry that he didn't want my help, yet at the same time I understood his concern for my safety. But I don't think he realized that I was concerned for his as well. A strong force came from our backs, sending us staggering a few steps forward but nonetheless standing. I guess it shot water at our hiding spot. Once again, a splash was heard afterward. Man, was I scared!

I'm scared for my life, for Link's life, and scared of that weird thing! I know I was scared of all the monsters I saw in Hyrule Field, but I was able to outrun them with Mei. In this case, there is an escape route: the way we came in.

Taking that road was tempting, and it was right behind our horses as well. However, my friendship with Link was much stronger than my fear... Well, we might not exactly be friends, but we're still acquaintances... right?

The monster attacked our tree with another blast of compressed water, causing some of the bark to break. I feared that it would tumble down at any moment, but it's a thick tree, so it may last a few more blasts. A splashing noise followed after that attack, same as always, or at least so far. Hey, this gives me an idea!

If there's anything that I learned from playing Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (which is a lot!), one of them is that every boss in the game has a fighting pattern.

In this case, it always shoots at us and then jumps into the pool. I wonder why... Another thing, it seemed to be directed mainly to Link, for some reason. Even when it growled and... spoke... earlier... it looked in his direction. Well, I was in front of him, so it's hard to tell. Only one way to find out!

After that thought, I ran away from our hiding spot and waved my arms up and down... The thing stopped its breath for a second. It took one look at me, straight in the eye, and then turned back to where Link was. Whoa. When it looked at me, I thought I was dead! I breathed a sigh of relief, but sucked it back in with a gasp as I realized how damaged the tree was getting. And that particular tree was where he was! Another gasp came out as something grabbed my upper right arm. It was tight, and cold, and it pulled me really hard. I instantly followed - well, got dragged - where it pulled me to. Heck, I couldn't even run - my feet were pretty much skidding over the floor! Soon enough, I was standing next to Link again.

Oh, he used his Claw Shot... Oh my God! He used his CLAW SHOT! I never thought it looked this beautiful in reality...! So shiny, so sleek... No, no! Now's not the time to be admiring his weapons in real life!!

"Are you out of your mind?!" he scolded, "I'll distract it. Get out and get to Castle Town!" Before I could speak against it, he took out his other Claw Shot and grabbed onto a branch up above us. The monster's eyes never left him as he swung around, giving me an easy way to escape. Oh, the exit looked so welcoming! It's true, I wanted to get to safety, but I don't want to leave Link here... Seeing the enemy with its back turned towards me, I took a deep breath. Then, I did probably the stupidest thing ever, which would make Link kill me...

I ran towards it.

As soon as I got in range, I tackled it. It gave a confused screech as we both went forward, but sadly, instead of land, we landed in the water. The freshwater was very cool, but the pool was much deeper than I thought; it was like staring into a deep abyss within a lake. But the thing is that the size of it isn't even comparable to that of a lake; hell, it's not even as big as my pool! What sort of confused me was that I remembered wearing contacts before falling through that hole at home. How am I seeing everything so clearly now? Whatever, that's a mystery to solve for later...

Staring down at that bottomless area scared me, and I swam up for air. As soon as my head broke out of the surface, I gasped, sucking in a large amount of oxygen. However, as soon as I regained my breath, I was taken by surprise as I was pulled back down into the water, barely hearing Link calling my name.

I looked down at my ankle to find the monster clutching it tightly. Its dark eyes stared straight into mine, merciless. I swam helplessly towards the light above me, but it held on tight and refused to release me. My body started to hurt as I was running out of breath; my arms slowly floated up above me, the bubbles coming from me began to slow down, and my sight was blurring. Everything that was once dark blue was turning black, and the light from the surface was dimming. This was probably the worst, and slowest, death ever. But I don't want to die now, I still need to get back home. What would happen to my family and friends if they never find me? Unfortunately, there is nothing I could do now...

Suddenly, I felt a hand wrap around mine, and I was pulled up quickly, the grip on my ankle lightening, and eventually disappearing. Again, once my head was out of the surface, I took as much air as I could. I have never wanted oxygen so much in my whole life! I coughed and coughed as water exited my mouth, feeling a hand pat my back continuously; I had a pretty good idea who it was. My body was lifted as my vision cleared, and we were going at a fast pace towards the horses... Wait, what?!

"Link, w-what are you doing?!" I asked, looking up to his stern face.

"I'm getting you out of here, that's what I'm doing!" he answered. Wait, so we're running?! I know that I stared at Death in the face just a few seconds ago, but seriously, in the game when he faced a sub-boss (or a real boss) he has no way out, and the sub-boss (or boss...) never gives him a chance to run away in the first place. Come on, this isn't like Final Fantasy where you could run away! I think... How does he expect to escape now? Well, I was proven correct as I saw behind him that the creature resurfaced and drew in some air. Pointing behind him, I cried,

"Link, look out!" He immediately set me down and put up his Hylian Shield in defense. The attack caused him to stagger backwards a bit, but he held his ground. Wow... He's protecting _me! _This was almost like a dream-come-true if we were not being chased around by some weird monkey monster. I wonder if all the battles he had back then were this long...

I felt my strength returning slowly, and when Link turned to pick me up again, I got up quickly and moved away.

"What?" he said, holding his hands out in disbelief. He turned around to block another attack; my fear was returning quickly as I ducked behind him. "RUN!" he ordered. Once fear takes over me, there's pretty much nothing that can stop me _from_ running! I was well convinced that I could die right here, right now from that experience in the pool. I had no idea why I was acting so brave earlier... Oh yeah, I wanted to protect Link, but now I've found that there's nothing I can do to help him. I'm just too weak. So obviously, I headed for the dirt road. My legs took me there as quickly as I could, leaving Link behind me to defend himself. So many thoughts reeled through my head, like...

_I gotta get the f**k out of here!_

_I can't leave Link here, though._

_That thing is gonna drown me if I don't escape!_

_Link could die here!_

_Hell, _I _could die here!!_

And yet, my legs didn't stop. Throughout all my thoughts of returning for Link, my legs completely disagreed with them. I'm so close to it, like it's the most important thing in my life... Until... BAM!!! I ran into something that kept me from leaving, sending me toppling down on my ass and back. What the...?! An invisible wall?! That's just great... It's true, there's always a type of door that keeps Link from escaping a huge fight; and considering how we're in some random forest that I had no knowledge of, there just had to be some way to keep us inside, huh? Not like you'd find a door in a forest... Then there's only one way to get out: defeat the boss.

Apparently, that thing never stopped trying to hit Link as he held his shield up, and he hasn't figured out a way to defeat it either. If he took this long to find a way to beat it, just how long did it take him to figure out all those other bosses? I'll bet that's the gamer who thinks about it, that's why it's taking him forever to win now!

As that theory came to mind, the wheels in my head began to work as I observed its moves. Man, if that theory is correct, then Link would have to rely on me to beat everybody else! Wow, in a way, it's sorta cool, but in another way, it shows that he's stupid... I hope that my theory is wrong then...

Alrighty, it's clear that it completely depends on water to shoot at Link, so I've got to keep it from getting to the pool. But what if I get dragged in? I don't want to experience that again... But if I ever want to get out of this nightmare, then I've got to hurry up. To keep Link, or that monster, from seeing me, I ran around the horses to the other side. I waited for it to take its shot at him, and when it jumped into the pool, I came to where it would usually pop up while Link ran for the trees again, holding my hands ready like a football player. Ignoring Link's confused cries once more, I waited for the opportune moment.

Wait for it...

NOW!

It jumped out of the water and right into my arms. Confused for a moment, it stared at me, then it began to thrash around like a stubborn baby. Heck, it even slapped me God-knows-how-many-times! My face was on fire and pricking like needles as I took it by the legs and hung it upside down. The water in its basin poured out, and it actually began to calm down, if not stop moving around. I didn't give it a chance to surprise me - well actually, I panicked and threw it far from where the pool was. It only hit the floor hard and rolled like a ragdoll; it didn't even try to land perfectly or anything. Its limp body slowly stood up, but only swayed around in a daze.

"Link, GO!" I yelled, telling him to finish it. Despite his injury (which must've hurt a lot if he couldn't attack that whole time), he nodded, took his sword out, and made one hell of a slice. The monster's eyes shot open in pain and yelped loudly. After thrashing a bit, its body went limp again; though rather than turn all black and explode like all other monsters in the game, it only stayed there, and strangely it didn't have any blood to spill. The wound was clear though, and it sickened me. I turned away to avoid the sight; I know I've seen my brother play rated M games behind my parents' back, and those are pretty bloody! However, that's nothing compared to reality, this has proved it correct once more.

From turning away from the dead thing (or at least it looked dead), my eyes landed on that chained blue sphere I saw before. It only floated there with an ominous, echoing buzz; the three chains glowed a cerulean color as well, and dug deep into the earth to keep its captive from escaping. But what harm could that thing do if it was imprisoned in such a way? Judging by how Link and I got here, this place was completely cut off from Hyrule, so maybe this has the answer of getting out.

_"Please..." _it started. Whoa, how'd it just talk to me?! But rather than feeling like someone was speaking to me directly, it sounded as though it was in my head. In other words, it was like I was talking to myself in my mind, only the voice sounded older and more womanly... Not that my voice sounded _manly!_ It continued, _"Free me..." _At that moment, I only stared at it blankly. How would I do that?

"Theresa?" I looked over to Link; he had a questioning look upon his face. "What are you looking at?" Geez, I really wondered why he couldn't see it... Either way, I ignored him and turned my attention back to the floating orb.

"How?" I asked it. It took a few moments before answering me. Huh, this is strangely similar to the Light Spirits when they got their Tears of Light stolen: they talked so slowly and paused a lot.

_"Take... away... these chains..."_ Yup, I was right. But anyways, I tilted my head a bit to the side in confusion. Again, how would I do that? It didn't answer my question at all! I can't use the dagger that Jaggle and his family gave me, it wouldn't be able to break steel, anyone could tell that much. Well, maybe it'll be worth a shot, you never know. I quickly made my way to Mei, searched through one of the bags strapped onto her sides, and pulled my dagger out of its small sheath. It sorta reminded me of the kitchen knife I would use to slice veggies and whatnot back home, only my kitchen knives didn't look as menacing. I returned to the tree stump where the chains were.

As I got closer to the orb, I felt... sad... Every step I took, every second that passed as I made my way to it, it all made me sadder and sadder. Not like "emo" sad, but like I wanted to cry my eyes out and yell at Link. Yell at him for not being with me for those two days. I know, he told me that he couldn't find me for those two days, but was that the truth?

"Theresa," Link said, walking towards me, "What are y---" But I pushed him away. I looked down at the floor to keep him from seeing my eyes; they were beginning to brim with tears. I didn't want to look at him, either. Now instead of accepting what he told me the other day, I felt like he was untrustworthy and a liar. Like he was _actually_ avoiding me. I never liked ignorance... However, the reason why I truly hated it is a different story; for now, I need to figure out how to free this thing.

I held on to my weapon and gently touched the chains to get a good feel for it before slicing downward. However, it passed through it completely, disintegrating one small part of the steel before coming back together again. I widened my eyes a bit in slight surprise, though my sorrow was overwhelming my other emotions, so I couldn't truly say that I was surprised. God, why is this happening?! I got a grip on one chain, and it didn't disintegrate this time, or at least until a few seconds passed. It felt completely solid, until...

The whole chain turned into dust! That was weird, but suddenly I began to feel tired, very weary. Yet, I continued on to the next chain. It began to burn under my grip, and I had no idea how I managed to hold on, but it was relieved once it disappeared as well. I flinched and held on to my hand, but it didn't seem burned at all; the only effect it took on me was tiring out. It didn't leave any burn or anything, it just made my hand feel really, really hot! My breathing was getting uneven, like I was working out at the gym or something. Link took notice of it and looked concerned, but he stared more at the tree stump than me. Was he finally seeing something?

I grabbed onto the final one, and it turned into tiny, tiny particles just how the others did from my touch. However, I didn't think I could take any more. My knees shook, giving out a moment later. Link held me in his arms quickly and helped me remain standing; sadly, I was too weary to even cherish the moment of me being in his arms like a damsel-in-distress, not to mention I felt mad at him. Suddenly, all that sadness (and anger?) towards Link just disappeared. I felt relieved, and even my feeling of exhaustion was being taken away slowly.

The freed orb floated higher above us, forcing me and Link to look upward to see what was happening to it. It glowed a divine blue light, and began to form something... or _someone!_ At first, it was like a sapphire mist in the shape of a woman with no features whatsoever. Then, it began to gain more color and detail. The clothing appeared: a long, elegant white dress that ended at the ankles and had sapphire jewels placed beneath the breasts. It seemed to represent butterflies. The skin came next: a pure, flawless cream color that seemed to shine. Next came the fingers, the bare feet, and everything else. The most striking feature was her face. Nothing damaged or disfigured it, her eyes were as clear as the sky, and her facial expression was calm. Her smile was soft as she took a breath, taking in the sweet air like she hasn't had a taste of oxygen in a long time. Exhaling, the woman's gaze fell upon me and Link, and she slowly stepped off the stump she was once trapped on. Her long golden hair waved as she came down; she was taller than Link (and that's without shoes!), so she must be older, and her ears were pointed, obviously suggesting that she's Hylian. Her body was outlined with that same blue glow.

Her eyes were calm, kind, wise. They took a few seconds to survey me and Link, like she wanted to memorize every detail of our appearance. Her small smile began to spread across her face, especially when she looked at me. It wasn't like an evil smile, but like an overly-joyous look; it sort of creeped me out. She brought her hands over her mouth, and she began to sob softly; before I knew it, she knelt before me in a crying heap.

"Oh, thank you! Thank you!" she said, "Oh, you have no idea how long I've been waiting for this moment!" Now her voice didn't sound like it was in my head, but it sounded real. Like speaking to a real human being. The woman kneeling at my feet made me feel a bit uncomfortable; really, nobody has ever kneeled to me and thanked me for anything while crying.

"Uh... Could you... not... do that?" I asked, inching backwards. The woman stood up and took a couple of deep breaths, fanning herself with her hands. Eventually, she calmed down and regained her normal face.

_"My... Mistress..."_ came another voice. My attention, including the lady's, turned to the monster, who was supposed to be dead. Apparently it's not... It just lied down there with its head lifted up to look at its "Mistress" while one of its hands was on top of its wound. Geez, how could such a small thing survive that?! Link stood up and drew his sword again; it looked like he wanted to finish the job. However, the mysterious woman who was worshipping me earlier walked towards it on her own, insisting that she'll take care of it. Hey... I just noticed that his sword wasn't the Master Sword... I took a good look at it from where I was standing behind him, and the hilt wasn't purple, it was just like a normal sword. Oh, duh, in the credits of the game, it showed that he put it back! Prediction time: he's gonna have to get it back at some point after meeting Zelda... I think... Well, I would probably be back home by the time he sets off for it, so I won't be able to share the epic-ness of seeing the Master Sword.

The woman reached it, and only stared at it blankly. The monster looked back at her with its dark, beady eyes in awe, speechless for a moment. I wonder if Link can hear what it's saying.

_"M-My Mistress..."_ it continued, its mouth still, _"Is it really---" _However, before it could finish its question, the Hylian girl lifted her right foot behind her, and kicked it hard, sending it flying and falling into the pool. Link and I watched wide-eyed and jaw-dropped in disbelief; how could she, who looked so wise and calm, kick it like that as though she were a child?!

"You stupiiiiiiid!" she insulted, fuming, "I was telling you to stop during the fight! Why didn't you listen, Kappa?!" Oh... my... gosh... How could I forget that it's a Kappa?! Seriously, I could've curtsied to it and the fight would've been over; but no, because of my terrible memory, we just _had_ to do it the hard way, didn't we?! I learned back then that Kappas have a strong sense of etiquette, so it can't help but return a bow once one curtsies to it; even if it risks getting its basin emptied. And that's the thing: it can't move once its basin is emptied of water! Yet, I didn't remember it being able to spit out water like a freaking bullet. The Kappa resurfaced and bowed its head in guilt, making a tiny waterfall from its head.

_"My apologies... I only wanted to protect you..."_ The woman only huffed, crossed her arms, and turned away from it. Wow, talk about childish.

"Um... excuse me?" Link inquired, raising a hand. She gave a curious "Hm?" and turned to him, smiling once more. "Yes, well, I would like to ask... What the hell is going on?!" He seemed almost as furious as she was towards her Kappa; I could understand that, though. We were put through a battle with some tiny little devil who nearly drowned me in that pool and was blocked by some invisible wall. Yeah, that makes sense. The woman flinched a little, but tried to maintain a calm look. Sighing, she returned to the tree stump and took a seat, bringing one leg over the other.

"Very well," she said, tossing her bright blonde hair a bit to the side, "I suppose you do deserve an explanation... First of all, I am Sepherene. May I know your names?"

"I'm Theresa."

"My name is Link."

"Ah, pleasure to meet you, Theresa and Link. Theresa, I am grateful to you for freeing me. Well, like I said, you deserve an explanation. So... here is my story..."

* * *

Alright, so again, I'm sorry for not updating sooner D; Okay, if ya want a picture reference of Sepherene, then follow these instructions (I can't seem to put up a URL here, so I'm just givin' ya instructions, lol):

1. Go to (images)

2. Type in "anime elf girl." It should be the first result you see, and it says it's on , titled "Anime Girl/ Elf Girl" Hope ya find it! (She's the one holding the violin and surrounded by butterflies.)


	7. Princess Zelda

Author's Note: Omg I didn't think I was gone THAT long!! D; I'm so sorry everyone! School started about 2 weeks ago, so it's been rather hectic getting settled in and doing homework... Good thing I was able to finish it now, ehehehe, eeeehh... :D;

Lady Akhisane: Okay, I think I'm starting to get worried with how long it'll take to update, too. Again, I'll try to update as fast as I can, but school is a pain in the ass right now .

Finally! The next chapter!!

* * *

Chapter 7 - Princess Zelda

The day was going by swell: the sky was partially cloudy, so the sun wasn't completely beating down on us, and there was a soft breeze that cooled weary travelers, too. One could only imagine what the Postman had to go through just to deliver messages! Hyrule Field remained in its beautiful state, green, vibrant, and stunning despite dangerous creatures roaming about. Yet, even the monsters walking, running, or flying seemed to be calm. Well, not exactly calm, but just taking their day slowly. They certainly didn't try anything to disturb travelers at the moment. Moreover, Hyrule Field isn't the only spectacular sight in all of Hyrule.

There is also Hyrule Castle Town.

Citizens were bustling about and attending to their business; whether it was selling their merchandise, handling a precious object, or taking a nice walk, Castle Town was full of activity. Even in the game, it was an active area.

I couldn't help but stare in awe at the sight. Although Link and I had to enter the West Gate of Castle Town, everything was so... vivid! The guards making their rounds in single-file lines, the building where that old doctor works in, and all the people around us. It was all real! I could even hear music in the distance where the main square was located! My jaw dropped slowly as my eyes scanned over every little detail of the area, wanting to see more and more of it. But they stopped as I felt something within me. It was a similar feeling to my own: awe, yet it wasn't mine. I had a pretty good idea whose it was... Placing my hand to my chest and closing my eyes, I asked in my head,

_"Is there something wrong, Sepherene?" _No voice came. Or at least, not until a few seconds...

_"Everything is so much bigger..." _she replied, invisible to all, _"I can't believe how much it's changed..."_

Yes, Sepherene, the elegant woman we met in those mysterious woods. The story she told us was quite long, but interesting enough to keep me from sleeping; at least when we left the forest, it wasn't dark. She used to live here in Castle Town as an ecstatic youth. What I mean by "used to" is when she was _alive_. Back in the forest, I saw her as a floating blue orb; it turns out that she's dead, and that is her soul. The reason why she was chained like that? Sepherene was being punished...

Sepherene was born here in Castle Town, way back in the day, and lived with a rather wealthy family. I assumed that it's further back than the timeline for "Ocarina of Time," because even then, the town was large. Anyway, she was a young girl full of spirit; always helping her family, practicing good morals, and praying to the goddesses every night and day. Oh, by the way, since she lived so far back in the past, everyone practiced magic. It was much more popular in that time, where many were either born with it or taught how to use it. Some people used it for good purposes, while others used it for their own maniacal deeds. Sepherene's general power was hypnotism.

Of course, she never used it... At least, without knowing it. She absolutely loved singing, and every time she sung, her powers would go to work. In fact, it took her some time to figure out why men slobbered all over her whenever she sung... And when she did find out about it, she never used it for deception. I assumed that many thought her to be a perfect individual. And I was right! Even the goddesses were impressed by Sepherene's obedience, kindness, and faith.

So, they gave her a gift.

Power over the elements was something envied and wanted by magicians everywhere; if they controlled all four, it's probably equivalent to controlling the whole planet. At least that's what they thought, I didn't see how precious it was (besides being an awesome power!)... Sepherene was granted the power of Water, for it is a calm element, intuitive, and nurturing. They saw it fit for a woman like her. And yet, even this amazing gift, she refused to practice. Along with the power over Water, an Elemental animal was given along with it. That's where she met Kappa. She and her family couldn't think of a name for it, so they just called it Kappa. It was a mischievous little thing that gave trouble to the maids in Sepherene's home, but quite ironically, it was respectful and knew proper etiquette. Despite this strange personality, it befriended its mistress quickly and obeyed only her. It was meant to protect her at all times, but since there really was no danger to protect her from, Kappa just helped around the house when she told it to.

At some point, Sepherene finally found a man who didn't love her for her mesmerizing voice. He loved her for herself, and she adored him in return. They were a perfect couple; but the man she fell in love with only wanted her family's wealth. One night, when they were alone in Hyrule Field, he beat her there, where no one would be able to help her. Thinking that she died, he moved on to her parents to take their money and belongings. She was only knocked out and woke up a few hours later; heartbroken, Sepherene lost everything... This was the start of a growing hatred towards men.

When she returned home, her parents were dead on the floor, and the house was ransacked and stripped of everything valuable. Thankfully, Kappa was able to find an easy hiding spot due to its small size. Finally accepting the powers that she was given, Sepherene traveled out to Hyrule Field to live there and practice with Kappa. She found her way to Lake Hylia, the perfect place to use water. In fact, she lived in an abandoned floating house where Fyer now works shooting people out of a cannon! Over time, she mastered the element, and then moved on to what would reel in men to kill:

Her singing.

She sung every night when no one would really hear her before making her move. Eventually, Sepherene's power had become too strong, and drew men in anyway in the night to her current living space. From there, she would drown the men, then have Kappa bury them somewhere else. Kappa spoke against doing this, but her hatred had grown, and she continued to do this for two years.

Finally, the goddesses were forced to step in. For misusing a great gift, they created a new punishment to dangerous magicians such as Sepherene. They pulled her soul straight from her body, and imprisoned her in a place cut off from everything else, keeping Kappa along with her alive (for it is immortal, and was ordered to eliminate anyone who ever found the prison). There was no heaven, no hell, or anywhere where she could go. Chained for eternity, Sepherene "lived" in that state for the longest time, staying above that wretched tree stump, trapped in that terrible forest. She needed no food, no water, nothing, yet it was equivalent to experiencing over one thousand deaths. There was nothing that she could do to escape, and if she ever tried singing, she wouldn't have the energy to do so; her power has not been taken away, but rather reduced; for every magician's power is always attached to their soul.

And so, Sepherene decided that if she were able to escape and rest in peace, then she would have to conserve her energy for that very day: the day she senses a great power that would be able to break those chains. Unfortunately, she has brought many there, and all have failed. And if they did reach her chains and touch it, their magic power would be drained and they would die from it, their bodies disintegrating into thin air. Throughout all those failures, Sepherene was able to reflect on her life, and grew ashamed of herself for doing all those terrible deeds. And even if she learned her lesson and everything, the goddesses would not hear her pleas.

Then suddenly, she felt a different kind power, like nothing she's ever felt before. Apparently, it was mine. However, Kappa didn't want Link to come near her since it knew her hate towards men, and actually grew used to it. Sepherene's hate had reduced, but she still didn't trust men. That's why Link was Kappa's primary target, but still, I was no exception to that order the goddesses gave; seriously, it nearly drowned me! Anyway, she said that one with that much power will be able to hold her soul within their own, and gain her power including the Water element and the hypnotism. I had no idea how to hold her soul, but it turns out, she just entered inside me like a ghost, and now we can speak telepathically! It's pretty cool, but a bit awkward knowing that someone who's been dead for a while is inside my body...

Once she, uh, settled herself in my soul, or whatever, I felt... I dunno, more powerful? Like I was gaining more energy to do things, or something like that. After that, a mark was traced onto my left hand: it was a large circle divided into four on the inside. On the upper left of the circle was an upside-down triangle; it looked familiar, and if I'm correct, it's the alchemy sign for Water. The mark glowed a bright blue before dimming into a regular mark. Now it just looks like someone drew it with a pen.

One more question was to be asked: What happened to Kappa? Well, actually, it's hiding in my bag; sadly, the one that's holding all my clothing! I felt something shuffle around on my back. I swung my backpack around to the front, and opened the top. Kappa looked up at me with pleading black beads, obviously asking me for a bigger space to hide in.

"Hey! Don't wet my stuff with the water in your head!" I ordered in alarm, pushing its head forward. It only whimpered telepathically, and I tried to ignore it. I swung it back around and continued walking with Link.

I traced my finger above the blue mark as I stared at it; those three empty spaces give me the feeling that I'm gonna have to find the rest of the elements. I bet that's how it's gonna go! That's how it always goes when you have to collect something anyway (it's common gamer knowledge).

_"Theresa?" _Sepherene's voice called. My thoughts returned to the present, and I closed my eyes, put my hand to my chest, and replied,

_"Yes, what is it?"_

_"Are you _sure_ that you haven't collected another soul other than mine?"_

_"Ugh, YES! I'm sure!"_ And with that, I tried to block her voice out of my mind. That brings me to another mystery... When Sepherene entered my soul, she said that she could sense traces of another one. However, it's very faint, and it's a possibility that there is one already inside of my soul. But what else could it be? I mean, I don't remember getting another one before her...

"Theresa?" I flinched from my standing position, and looked up to my left side. Link called me. "Why do you look... serious?"

"Oh, I'm not serious or anything," I answered, "That's just my face whenever I'm thinking... or daydreaming." Turning his head away, Link continued walking into the town with me following his tracks. Yeah, I got that a lot from my family; they'd always think that I'm sad or angry 'cause I always have such a serious face when I daydream. Or was he still concerned about when I tried avoiding him in the forest? Hey, that wasn't my fault! Sepherene explained that I'm able to express her greatest emotion and I'll be able to show it myself! It wasn't my fault... I swear...

I also sort of chuckled to myself as I realized what he asked. It reminded me of one of my favorite movies, "The Dark Knight." I loved Batman, especially the Joker!

Anyways, we made our way to the main square of Castle Town, and it was filled with so much people! Everyone was running their own errand; I even recognized some of them! However, I was rather surprised that they didn't stop their errands at the fact that the savior of all Hyrule was among them. I mean seriously! He's LINK!! Oh well, maybe it was because they were all turned into spirits that they had no idea, either that or they're just more composed than most people. Besides, it just saves us the trouble of running away from them.

I looked to my left to marvel at the great Hyrule Castle; however, my eager face turned into a disappointed one. All I found was a disoriented building under construction, hence some noise coming in that direction similar to hammering. The great fortress was being rebuilt.

"Hey, Link..." I said, pulling at his sleeve. He turned his head toward my direction as we walked. "Why is there so much construction over there?" Of course, I already knew: Hyrule Castle exploded when Midna sacrificed her life to kill Ganondorf, yet failed... It's a good thing that she came back to life though! Link turned away, but still answered.

"There was... an accident... that happened a while ago. That's where Hyrule Castle used to be, but now they have to rebuild it all." He began to walk in a faster pace; it must've been a terrible memory despite Midna coming back to life, thinking that she died. I slapped my forehead, but did it silently so he didn't notice. I'm so stupid for asking, why didn't I think that it would hurt him?!... Wait... I'm playing as the girl who doesn't know anything, so I'm not stupid! Right?

We took a different route instead, and went down the south road past the market. There, Link led me somewhere else, looking at a piece of paper from time to time. I wondered what it was... I peeked over his shoulder, but barely saw anything before he lowered his hand to continue our little stroll. And another teensy-weensy little detail I forgot about: EVERYTHING'S written in HYLIAN! I can't possibly read that ever in my life! It just looked like a bunch of wacky shapes and lines; if I ever need directions, I just know that I'm screwed.

Link and I turned a corner from the market, and went in the alley where gamers would find Agitha and Fanadi's place (the weird fortune-teller lady). What I didn't notice in the game was a large building next to it; it was a huge, fancy house. Well, it wasn't exactly a house, it was bigger than a two story house, but a bit smaller than a mansion. Uh, I don't know what it's called...

"This is the place," Link said. I looked at it up and down. It was like a replica of all the buildings next to it, except for some minor details such as the wall color and balconies. "The Princess currently lives here." He walked up the steps to knock on the door; I didn't follow, I was feeling too nervous. Noticing my anxiety, Link turned around.

"What's wrong?"

"I, uh... What do I do in front of a princess?" I asked, fidgeting and playing around with my thumbs. He smiled and put a hand to my shoulder.

"Don't worry about it," he reassured, "Everything will be alright. Princess Zelda is a good person, trust me." Gaining _some_ confidence, I gave a faint smile, and went to the steps. Wow, I'm meeting Princess Zelda!!... _With_ Link!! A million butterflies were flying furiously in my stomach! He gave a firm knock on the door, and it was answered in only a few seconds by a Hylian maid. A grin grew on her face as she recognized him.

"Ah, her Highness has been expecting you," she said, "Please, please do come in!" Link entered without a sign of hesitation, whereas I followed slowly. However, the young maid raised a hand to me.

"And who might you be?" she demanded sternly. It sorta creeped me out how her sweet personality suddenly changed to a strict one.

"U... Um..."

"She's with me," Link spoke, "She needs to see the princess as well."

"Oh, well then come on in!" the maid chimed. Wow, what a character change... I wondered if all maids were like this... The interior design of the building was rather formal, yet nice. There were couches, curtains, rugs; all in floral design in heart-warming colors. The floor was a beautiful, polished wood, not a single spot to be seen! The maids and servants must get paid a lot to make a house look this nice. The maid at the door led us up some flights of stairs, passing large windows that overlooked the busy passers-by, passing large portraits of wealthy-looking families, and more. Sheesh, it looked smaller on the outside!

After a few minutes of climbing stairs and strolling through hallways, we finally reached an elegant white door with golden handles. The inside of the building looked bigger on the inside than it did on the outside! Moving on, if the handles were inspected carefully, the Triforce was symmetrically engraved on both of them. It looked so well-crafted, like it was divine... One of them was covered quickly by the servant's hand to open the door for us, and she bowed in front of us after extending her hand invitingly. I woke up from my momentary trance and returned to reality. With a silent gulp, I followed behind Link, who wasn't nervous in the least.

The room was larger compared to the rest we passed by: it had exquisite furniture, marble floors, and large windows. Even the tables were white and shiny! It also included a nice bed, with those fancy curtains and pillows. There was a tall silhouette against the light coming from a large window; pointed ears twitched at the sound of our arrival as it turned to face us... P... Princess Z-Zelda!!

Everything was so realistic and detailed! Her dress elegantly flowed from a soft breeze that squeezed past the closed window, and even some strands of her dirty blonde hair moved along with it. Zelda's delicate fingers were crossed together, and even the detailed design of her gloves were clear! The armor upon her shoulders matched her crown, necklace, and whatever the thing was that wrapped around her waist. Aqua colored jewels stood out against those accessories and made it quite attractive; the golden color shone beautifully from the light pouring in the room. Her fair skin was completely free of any blemishes and was instead covered by her royal face, a calm face with eyes as cerulean and as clear as Link's. A smile grew from her red lips.

"Greetings, Link," she said. Her voice... It sounded so beautiful! The room began to spin, and my head was getting lighter... No! I can't faint in front of her! I blinked a couple of times, and that fixed my sight; phew, good thing I didn't pass out! That would've been very embarrassing...

"Good afternoon, Princess," he returned. She bowed her head slightly in acknowledgement; then she turned her gaze to me. Although it was clear she didn't recognize me, the grin on her face did not falter one bit.

"Good afternoon," she greeted to me. Okay, that's when the room spun out of control, and my legs gave out. All I heard was Link's voice yelling "Theresa?!?!?!"

~ : ~ : ~

Light invaded my opening eyes and blurred my vision for a moment. Not long after blinking a few times, everything began to be clearer; I felt around myself. Oh, I recognized the soft feeling of a bed underneath me. It's TOO familiar. Right now, I was just facing a wall to my left with a large window in the center. Peeking downward, I saw Link and Princess Zelda seated at the table, having some tea, if not a hot beverage. I quickly shut my eyes again in the hopes of learning anything important.

_"Theresa! What are you doing?!"_ Sepherene asked frantically in my head. She obviously knew my intentions; well, she's settled inside my soul, so it is possible that she knows what I want to do and everything... I don't know, I'm still new to this whole "soul" business. I thought it'd be similar to one of my favorite mangas called "Soul Eater," but nope, this is different.

_"Ssssh!" _I ordered in my head. The only reply was a 'Hmph!' and that was it. I just hoped that she wouldn't pop out and yell "Theresa's actually awake and eavesdropping!" She'd be a total snitch... Focusing on their conversation, I continued to act like I was out cold.

"But that can't be possible, Princess!" I heard Link say, "I killed him myself around six months ago!" Well, it clearly has something to do with Ganondorf! I feel so smart. The gentle sound of a teacup being lowered onto a plate reached my ears, and the Princess's voice replied.

"I am not stating that he may be alive, however I have the suspicion that a threat is slowly coming to Hyrule. For few days now, I have been receiving premonitions from the goddesses through dreams; I fear that we may not be safe for long..." She sounded so serious, it definitely can't be good. My top suspicion as well: Ganondorf. Really, there's been many times that he's resurrected, so it'd most likely be him. If I'm lucky, I won't get caught up in this business. Link will have to take care of this on his own... Really, it's one thing to defeat him over and over again in the game, and it's another thing to meet an evil villain in real life! There was an awkward silence, if not a moment of thought, that came over the two Hylians. I don't know much of the topic, so right now, it's like playing a jigsaw puzzle with 3,000 pieces. A deep, troubled sigh finally came up, and Link gave his answer.

"Very well, your Highness, I shall investigate. However..." You know that feeling that someone's watching you? Or at least when you somehow know that someone's looking at you without you making direct eye contact? Yeah, I just got that feeling. "I need to get Theresa home..." Aaaw, I feel special that Link cares for me!

"The young lady? Is her home a great distance from Hyrule?" From there, he explained the whole story of my sudden appearance, strange clothing, and how I'm possibly from a different world. Princess Zelda didn't speak at all or comment the whole time, therefore she was listening intently. He finally asked for her help if there was any possible way of returning me home; that took up a good five to ten minutes. My stomach began twisting with anxiety; will I be able to reunite with my family again? Or will I be stuck here forever? After some more silence, she finally gave an answer.

"I... am honestly not sure..." she sighed, "Judging from where she came from, it must have taken great magic to do something such as this; I am not sure if even _I_ can do that task." I sat up quickly from the bed, eyes wide open. Link and Zelda were quite alarmed at my sudden action, though the princess looked a bit more composed than Link did.

"What do you mean? Are you saying I can't go home?!" I yelled frantically.

"Theresa, please---"

"H-How will I be able to return then?! I miss my family! I miss my friends! I wanna go home!!" I was bawling like a baby right now, and even my eyes were brimming with tears. I've been hiding all my worry and sorrow until now; now I just couldn't accept the fact that I can't escape this place. I covered my face with both my hands, which probably wasn't a good idea since my tears, and possibly saliva, were beginning to soak my face. I took a seat on the bottom of the bed, draining my eyes of its moisture. I felt someone else sit next to me, and the next thing I knew a firm arm slowly wrapped around my shoulder comfortingly. I slid both my hands downwards, trying to dry up my face; afterwards, I wiped them on the end of my dress. Well, hopefully I didn't look as bad as I thought I would be. I looked to my right, seeing that it was Link who was trying to comfort me. Thankfully, neither Link or Zelda seemed to be phased by my appearance; I could only assume that I looked decent.

"Please, Theresa," he said, looking straight at me. His clear sapphire eyes were rather mesmerizing; it's not everyday that addicted gamers get to meet their favorite character (who happens to be hot). "Don't worry, I'll make sure that you'll get home. I'll find a way... I promise." Oh, how my heart pumped! He promised me that I'd get home! Well, I was actually feeling that way because a hot guy promised to find me a way back; hopefully, it'll last long enough for him to like me, all the while without me getting injured easily! But I couldn't help but feel that it won't happen exactly like I would want. The Princess stood and spoke directly to me.

"I apologize for causing this tension," she said, bowing her head slightly, "The problem is that... Transportation takes great amounts of magic, especially if it took you from such a faraway place; it even sounds similar to an entirely different dimension." I looked back at her the whole time, my crying session disappearing completely. Rather, I had a blank expression, but I was intent on listening to any information. She continued, "I cannot imagine anyone who is capable of anything such as this."

Hope was draining away from me, changing me from blank to depressed; I only stared at the floor. Link's grip on my left shoulder tightened, and he patted it afterwards.

"I..." Zelda's voice said a little hesitantly, "I may have a solution..." My head shot up instantly with my eyes wide; I was once again all ears for her words.

"This is an idea that occured to me when Link told me of your sudden trip into a forest; I cannot guarantee it will work, however, it is the only one I can provide..."

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Review, please!


	8. Plan Execution

Author's Note: Whoa! I didn't think that I've been gone for this long! Again, I'm sorry for not updating sooner. School's been getting in the way... Seriously, I feel like the teachers are assigning me projects weekly ;_; So, if some of you guys are mad at me for not updating sooner, then I'm sorry, but I have a tortured life away from the computer... A life tortured by school...

Well, enough of my complaints. Here's the next chapter! (Finally!)

Btw, thank you to those who left me reviews despite the fact that I've been gone a while. I really appreciate them!

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Chapter 8 - Plan Execution

Okay, here's what's been going on: Link and I have been listening to a lecture that the princess has been giving for the past, oh I don't know, ten minutes or so? That lecture was about magic and how it's connected to one's soul, and how it's only inherited nowadays, and more. Sepherene ended up showing herself out of her own will, and even the princess, who usually shows such a calm, composed expression, seemed somewhat taken aback. I didn't find it to be a very big deal; all I worry about is that Sepherene's gonna find out some embarrassing stuff about me, if that's possible since she "lives" in my soul.

I'm still unsure of what Sepherene can do inside my soul, but I'm gonna have to keep a close eye on her.

Anyway, Princess Zelda proposed a plan that has the possibility of taking me home. I, of course, jumped for joy and agreed to follow the plan immediately. But the thing is: I didn't listen to the conditions of the princess's plan. In other words, as soon as I heard the words, "It may take you home," I jumped to conclusions and decided to go along with it. And that led to...

"Oi, Link," I called.

"Hm?" Link looked up from his kneeling position and paid attention.

"Ya mind explaining why you need to tie me up in this chair again?" Yup! That's what's been going on so far! I'm sitting on a wooden, cushioned chair (which is actually pretty nice since it came from Princess Zelda's room) all tied up! My hands behind the chair, my waist around the back of the seat, and Link was already finishing the ropes around my ankles and the legs of the chair. It was very uncomfortable, I felt like a hostage or something. Besides, I think the ropes around my wrist were already starting to leave a mark.

"Princess Zelda said that if you are to travel back to your world, then you might as well return in one piece, right?" My face became a shocked expression.

"Y... You mean... I could return without a part of my body or something?!" Realizing what he just said, Link widened his eyes as well.

"Uh, um, I-I mean, this is just for safety! Don't worry about anything, Theresa. The princess is very skilled in magic!"

"The fact that she needs to tie me up like this gives me the sense that she's never done a teleportation spell at this level!" I honestly had no idea what I just said, but that seemed to make sense to Link. At least he got the message that I was freaking out. How would I explain it to my family if I lost an arm?! Link obviously didn't have anything to say to me, and continued with tying my legs.

I closed my eyes and began to breathe slowly; it's usually the best way to calm myself down. While Link and I were talking, the princess looked like she was drawing some sort of circle on the floor around me. You know, one of those fancy circles you'd see in magic games or manga. Either way, I guess it's supposed to strengthen her magic?

Another thing I noticed was that my bag was tied along with me. In fact, it was tied in front of my stomach so that it wouldn't fall off. Why would I need this bag? 'Cause Kappa's in it, of course, along with my other clothing and weapons! (Remember the dagger and bombs that I never seem to use!)

Apparently, if something goes wrong, I need protection, so Link went right ahead and wrapped some rope around it. It made it look as though he didn't want Kappa coming out though; the rope looked pretty tight. One way I knew that fact was Kappa's growling inside as Link finished. Really, I had to take in a lot of oxygen each time I inhaled!

"So, is this the end of the ropes?!" I asked with an annoyed expression.

"That should be about it." he answered. My former emotion quickly disappeared, and turned into sadness. I looked at him in the eye; he looked at me with the same emotion as well.

"Will I ever be able to see you again?" I muttered, lowering my head and staring at the white marble floor. I heard his footsteps coming closer. Damn, those pointy ears aren't just for show! I was pretty sure that I said that to myself anyway... Link put his fingers underneath my chin and made me look up. Honestly, I was pretty close to crying.

Why?

Because I finally got my wish to come to a world full of adventure, not boring school or a place where I need to deal with my siblings all the time, only to find that I'm returning after a short period of time. Don't get me wrong, over that period of time I realized just how much I missed home. Sure, the feeling of independence and freedom was great; it was _exhilirating_, in fact! But after a while, no matter how long or how short, it really drives you nuts about how much you miss the stuff you've grown up with all your life...

I bit my tongue to keep tears from flowing. "Tears are a sign of weakness," I always told myself. Most of the time, sadly, it didn't work since I'm such a sensitive girl, but now I didn't want to show a soft side to Link, for some reason. I dunno, my mind just works weird like that.

Link only smiled at me like nothing was going to change, almost as though I wasn't leaving at all despite the fact that Zelda was ready to take me home.

"Theresa," he said, "I know we've only known each other for a short amount of time, and we don't know much about each other in the first place." Aww, but I know much about _you_, Link! "But no matter where we are, we'll never forget our experiences together, because we're friends, right?"

I knew for a fact that this was one of those dramatic moments in a game where they use some cheesy line to make it look meaningful, but it was actually... working?! Eh, either way, I returned the smile, showing that I felt more comforted than I was before.

"Yeah..." I replied, "If I wasn't tied up, I would've given ya a hug." Pssh, that's what I've BEEN wanting to do as a Legend of Zelda fan! Without any warning whatsoever, he wrapped his arms around me despite the fact that I was sitting on a chair with a bunch of uncomfortable ropes. I was a little surprised at first; no, really, I didn't see it coming...

"It's okay..." And with that, he released me and gave me a final look of reassurance. I felt like my face was burning... No, my whole BODY was burning! All I could hear was my heart thumping continuously, beating away in my chest, beating loudly. Every other noise was reduced to nothing; I couldn't hear the soft wind outside the window, nor the maids scurrying about doing their business in the hallway, nor the annoyed growls of Kappa in front of my stomach (probably from when Link leaned over to hug me) nor even the Princess giving directions.

"Theresa... Theresa?" And then reality hit me. I had to blink twice to realize that I had kept them waiting.

"Eh? W-What?"

"Are you ready?" Princess Zelda was already holding her hands together in front of her in a relaxed posture. Glancing quickly at Link once more, I gave a firm nod to her.

Without a word, she breathed in, and breathed out slowly. Light emitted out of the floor, or more like the huge circle and markings that she drew. I was amazed that I was seeing an actual spell take place. It's much more different than seeing it happen in an anime or a movie! Well, doesn't everything look cooler in real life? The princess was muttering a few words to herself, slowly, calmly, yet you could tell that she was beginning to struggle. And before I knew it...

The ground fell beneath me.

I gasped at the sudden surprise. That familiar darkness that engulfed me in my travel to Hyrule returned, and that scary sensation of free falling; it was all frightening now that I'm actually awake.

Even though I was tied up, it didn't make that much of a difference. I still felt like the insides of my stomach were being brought to my back, because I have a huge fear of heights and falling. Sometimes I wonder how I even survived going through the Tower of Terror in Disneyland.

Moving on, the chair was spinning around wildly. I couldn't tell which was up or down, or left or right; everything was just spinning as though I jumped out of an airplane in this position. And just then... A light appeared beneath me. The light began to take shape of an area, and was reduced to smaller specks of light.

It was my house.

My eyes were brimming with tears just at the sight of it. The walls, the lamps outside, the front lawn, everything was true! And as I fell closer and closer to my destination, I noticed that the ropes were untying on its own somehow. Of course, I didn't care how the hell it was happening, my priority was reaching my house. I reached my hand out towards it.

It was getting closer...

Closer...

_"Home... I'm finally home!"_ was all I could think of. I couldn't help but smile. Seeing my family and friends again, telling them how much I missed them... and...!

Then the unbelievable happened: I fell right past it.

It was... an illusion?! I looked back to find it disappearing as though it were a mist, eventually turning into nothing. What the hell was that?! All I could do was reach my hand out towards it, wish for it again, but I knew that Zelda's plan for taking me home was a failure.

"No...!"

Crying in disbelief was the only thing I was able to do as the darkness grew and obscured my sight. Soon enough, it was as though I was unconscious.

~ : ~ : ~

Something was lightly touching my face, but quickly changed spots now and again. Something sounded like rapid inhaling, and loud exhaling, and... whimpering? I cracked open my eyes to find that certain something to be... Kappa?

It was sniffing my face and... Wait... It's _sniffing_ my face! I flinched along with a little "Gah!" of surprise as my senses were returning to me. Kappa seemed to be a little shaken by my awakening and staggered backwards a little, but it ceased its whimpering.

_"Theresa! Oh, Theresa, I'm so glad you're okay!"_ That voice... Sepherene?! Oh wait, duh, she "lives" in my soul now, right? So, I'm guessing she goes wherever I go? _"Are you hurt?"_

I checked myself really quick. I was still lying on the floor, I felt tired, I felt hungry, and I had a huge, HUGE urge to pee! I still wonder how the characters ever used a toilet in a game.

_"I'm fine," _I answered, _"I'm just feeling really sore... By the way, is there a bathroom nearby?"_

_"U-Um... I don't think that we'd be anywhere near a lavatory at the moment, Theresa! Just hold it or something and figure out where we are!"_ She's so mean, forcing me to torture myself by holding it in... With an annoyed "Tch..." I started to get up.

Amazingly, when I got up, the soreness began to go away and I actually felt like I was well-rested. Huh, I guess that's what happens whenever I teleport or something? Either that or I was sleeping well the whole time. I found my bag lying on the dusty ground opened up, but with everything still kept inside it. I guess Kappa got out of it on its own. Kappa walked beside me like how you'd imagine a monkey to walk. It was sorta cute, I think I'm actually getting used to Kappa being around now! Although in the back of my mind, I wondered how we were both falling through nothing and it kept all the water in its head.

I took a look around myself, and widened my eyes in an instant. Just looking at that post-lintel styled, wooden entrance and the sandy, dusty terrain already told me where I was:

The Hidden Village.

A soft breeze kicked up some dust, making the scene look like some old cowboy town in a movie, except I knew that this was once a village of the proud Shiekah tribe. Or at least that's what I heard. I stepped through the gate and entered the village. I had a very creepy sensation pass through me; heck, I even forgot about my bathroom problem!

As I entered, some cats noticed my prescence. Some walked up to me curiously, some only stared, and others that were further away didn't mind me at all. Wow, I've never seen so many cats in one place, not even at the pet stores! Anyway, those that did notice me took a quick sniff at my feet. Kappa growled at the mysterious, unfamiliar animals, though they didn't really pay any attention to it. As soon as they took about three or four whiffs of my scent, they left. I sighed to myself in slight dismay.

_"What's wrong?" _Sepherene asked. I continued to walk and look around as I "spoke."

_"Nothing, it's just that all animals seem to hate me... No, I'm not kidding, even my aunt's dog loves my sister WAY more than me!"_

_"Well... Kappa likes you!" _she returned, trying to comfort me. I made an expression that showed that it didn't really work.

_"I'm... not... sure if Kappa counts as an animal. No offense!" _I directed that last comment towards Sepherene, not the little sea monkey next to me. And the reason why I'm explaining that now is because Kappa was making a face at me that I didn't think was too friendly. Wait a sec, it can hear me?!

There was some silence for a time as I sort of toured around the area. It was eerily quiet except for the howling of the wind and some of the mewing of the cats. Geez, I felt like I was in a Silent Hill game instead of Legend of Zelda. Oh God, I hope I didn't switch games! Otherwise I'm dead!

But nah, I knew I was in the Hidden Village. I recognized Impaz's house anyway. I didn't want to look through the window to see if anyone's home though because my cowardly side was kicking in. It was like I was the only person left in the world, even though Kappa was right next to me.

It was so quiet... Sooo quiet...

I can't describe it any other way, other than scary. But I think I already mentioned that, huh? I'm only grateful that there weren't any Bulblins around to attack me, and I was lucky enough to land inside the village rather than the entrance of the tunnel where there were other enemies waiting with burning arrows!

I leaned against the rock wall behind Impaz's house and stared at the rocks strewn all over the ground. Kappa walked in front of me, sat down, and stared up at me as though it was waiting for instructions. At least that was somewhat comforting, even though it was the exact thing that tried to kill me back at that weird forest.

_"Sepherene, are we in a different time period, or something?"_

_"On the contrary, I think that the Princess merely sent us to the wrong location, if not her magic sent us past your desired destination." _Whoa, she sounded so much like a professor. Like, a professor of MAGIC! Well, she definitely knew more about magic than me, even though I was obsessed with it in my pre-teen years. Looking up towards the nearly covered sky, I wondered if I will ever return home.

_"Oh, don't worry! We'll find Link and the Princess again and do our best to get you home safely!"_

_"Dammit, Sepherene, do you have to eavesdrop on my thoughts all the time?!" _I thought angrily. I felt a strange sense of surprise, but it wasn't my own. Um, so I'm able to feel what she's feeling? Kind of like an empath or something?

_"S-Sorry! My, my..."_ I interpreted that to be a fancier version of "Sheesh." I sighed again.

_"Look, I'm sorry. First of all, it's invasion of privacy to do that. If you're gonna, er, stay in my soul, then you can't look into my personal thoughts, and if possible, my memories." _I just wanted to get things straight and set down some ground rules since she could pretty much look up a bunch of stuff I've done in my life. _"Next,"_ I continued, _"I'm just getting a bit stressed over the fact that I'm not where I belong..."_

However, before she could reply, my head shot up from its depressed posture, and darted left and right. Something didn't seem right. I felt... something else nearby?

_"Yeah, I feel it too," _she confirmed. There she goes with reading my thoughts again, but this time it was necessary. Even Kappa looked a bit alarmed. It was a strange feeling; it was as though... I located something? I don't know how to explain it myself, but I'd say it's like that eerie feeling when you actually know that something's close to you. Yet at the same time, I wasn't panicking like I thought I would usually do. But rather, I was curious as to what it was.

I began to walk around again to search for it, to search for whatever it was that I just noticed. I could hear Kappa sniffing the air to find any scent that was suspicious as I looked around for any visible thing that was out of place. For one thing, the cats didn't notice what was going on, and I'm pretty sure that Kappa's instincts were just as sharp as theirs. And honestly, I'm not too bright either when it comes to finding people, and apparently, I already have proof that there's someone. Or _something_!

After a period of about five minutes, I finally felt sure of where I was going, like I knew exactly where the source was. I went through a house with a huge broken window through it and scanned the inside of the building. Another broken window led to the back, and that was where I believed the mysterious force was.

Passing through the large window frame, all I found were some plants, that one Cuckoo that asks Link to play a type of hide-and-seek game, and that Howling Stone, which no longer made any sound. Other than that, there was nothing, but I was so sure that it was here.

_"Yes, I'm absolutely sure it's here, Theresa!"_ said Sepherene. Hm, looks like even she knew about it as well. _"Wait! I can see it! It's a Forbidden Gateway!"_

_"Huh?" _I obviously wanted an explanation to all this, especially since I couldn't see whatever she saw.

_"A Forbidden Gateway... It's a door invisible to the human eye, a rare door that leads to a special prison. It's where you and Link passed through to get to me. Only certain mages are able to sense this. I'm actually impressed that you were able to find it on your own!"_

_"Eh, what's that supposed to mean?"_

_"Well, technically you needed Link's help to get to me."_

_"That's 'cause you sang to him!" _Our little quarrel was quickly ended by Kappa pulling at the end of my dress. Oh, right, gotta focus!

_"Anyways, you were saying?" _The sound of Sepherene clearing her throat erupted in my head. Sheesh, it's not like she's announcing it to the world.

_"Forbidden Gateways are very rare prisons for certain people. Those certain people misused their gifts from the goddesses, similar to me. I'm not sure how many are out there; it's very hard to tell how many people gain privileges such as magic from the goddesses themselves!"_

_"Wouldn't that mean Ganondorf would be in one of those? If not, _was_ in a Forbidden Gateway?" _Then again, I wondered if she even knew who he was. Was he still trying to take over the world while she was alive?

_"It wouldn't be able to contain his magic. Escaping a Forbidden Gateway would've been much easier than escaping the Sacred Realm like he did thousands of years ago." _That answers that question!

_"Wait, are you saying that the Ganondorf that died recently is the same one that's been attacking Hyrule for all these years?!"_

_"Eh, I could be wrong..." _That mystery is still a puzzle to me. I haven't played enough Legend of Zelda games to understand that yet.

_"So, if I was able to enter last time, will I be able to go through this one?"_

_"Most likely,"_ she answered, _"And besides, I'm sure that you will find a great companion if you save this soul. Just like how you did with me and Kappa!" _Speaking of which, I wondered what type of monster I would face this time. The fact that I was completely unarmed was sending terrible thoughts through my head. And... Oh, shit, Link's not with me to protect me!

Shaking my head, I attempted to push those thoughts away. I'm a strong, independent girl! I can handle this! I think... Anyways, it seemed as though Sepherene could see something that I couldn't. To solve this problem, all I did was squint, and rub my eyes. It's a classic trick anyway. And then...

One part of the scene in front of me was sort of distorted.

And it was in the shape of an arched door as well. Walking up to it somewhat hesitantly, I reached out my hand to see if I could feel anything. The distortion only increased and made the background wave like water. Moreover, the tips of my fingers disappeared from sight. I drew back quickly in alarm. I didn't notice that at first, probably because I was on a horse. Speaking of which, I ditched her outside of Castle Town... Poor horsie...

I gathered up what little courage I had and stepped through.

I have to admit, though, I closed my eyes through the process. Yeah, of course I'm afraid! I nearly died in the last Forbidden Gateway, and now I have to face this one on my own! Who _wouldn't_ be scared?!

I opened my eyes slowly to check if I've passed through completely. Instead of the former dry back area of a house, it was a huge, rugged terrain. In fact, the ground looked more like a stone-like sea; large, curling waves were seemed to be in place. It could've been a skater's dream-come-true. The floor was a tan-colored stone and there were walls completely surrounding the area. The distance was very big between me and the walls as well. There was no ceiling, but rather, it was a dark, cloudy sky, yet the lighting wasn't too dim. If one was able to climb those walls, which seemed impossible since they looked so smooth, it could lead to another land... Nah, I dunno. The point is that it looked as though I was in a huge stone pit with no escape.

_"Would you like me to check?"_ inquired Sepherene. I blinked a few times and put my hand to my chin in thought. As I thought about it, a blue light engulfed me momentarily and streamed out in front of me. Her beautiful form was revealed once more.

"I can fly up there, you know. There really _are_ some advantages to being a wandering soul!" I was a bit hesitant for some reason. It just seemed a bit suspicious that there would be an easy escape route for those who could fly... But why not?

"Okay then. See if we're still in Hyrule," I said. With a nod and a smile, Sepherene gracefully ascended into the air like an angel. It was such a nice sight to daydreamers like myself. But suddenly, just before she reached past the cliffs, it looked as though she slammed into something. I even heard a surprised "Oh!" from her as she made contact. Is this a type of invisible wall... Er, ceiling... that blocked all possible escape? This was like last time, too! But there's one strange fact: Sepherene's DEAD. Technically, she's a ghost, so how could something like that possibly keep her from leaving?

"Oh my, it seems that we're in a pinch..." she said, floating back to me. Yeah, obviously. I opened my mouth to reply, but before I could, a deep, rumbling sound erupted from the floor and walls. I was already struggling to maintain my balance. Hell, even Kappa was trying its best to keep the water in its head!

**"A trespasser?!"** a loud, booming voice cried. Seriously, I had to cover my ears as soon as it said "A".

"Theresa!" Sepherene pointed up to the sky in alarm. I looked up quickly, but as soon as I did, I widened my eyes in awe and fear. There seemed to be a gigantic, swirling portal hanging in the cloudy sky; in a way, it looked beautiful, but menacing at the same time. Great, time for the boss!

A large red claw with dark nails protruded from the spinning vortex and crashed down onto the stone "waves," crushing many underneath its weight. Sepherene and I could only stare, speechless, at the being that came out:

A DRAGON!

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I'm sorry, I just had to add one at some point in the story, y'know? 'Cuz dragons are freakin' AWESOME!! :D Those of you who agree with me, say "Aye!"

...

Reviews are greatly appreciated!


	9. A Young Girl vs A Freaking Dragon!

Author's Note: Aw, geez, I think I'm gonna die from school... Ugh, maybe I'm gonna have to update this monthly. Sorry that the time length is long, but like I said in the previous note, school's an ass. And so are the teachers. XP Man, I'm gonna look forward to Christmas Break.

Kokiri-Warrior: Yayz for dragon lovers!! :D Oh and don't worry, how can a LoZ fanfic continue without our beloved hero, Link?

The Great Ahtnamas: Yayz again for more dragon lovers!! XD Uh-uh! Can't give away what the yellowy glowing thing is yet :3

OK, here be Chapter 9!

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Chapter 9 - A Young Girl vs. A Freaking Dragon!

Sepherene and I stared up at the mighty creature that just tore through the sky. I could've sworn that it was the size of my house! Its great feet and nails easily crushed the stone underneath like it was nothing; its dark nails looked like it could slice an entire building cleanly in half; its bright, red scales shone against what light was provided in the area and was similar to armor. The dragon's wings were folded, however it was so large that I was pretty sure that it could cause something much worse than a mere hurricane. I only stood, frozen, at the sight of it. Its slitted, golden eyes darted left and right, up and down...

Until those two eyes fell upon me.

I started to hyperventilate. It narrowed its eyes at me and turned its head towards my direction. It cracked open its mouth, revealing its monstrous fangs; I couldn't tell whether it was curled back into a snarl or a menacing smile.

**"Hm..."** it started, **"So you're the trespasser of the Forbidden Gateway..."** I began to tremble as well. Am I going to die right here, right now?! It raised its head slightly and inhaled deeply. I widened my eyes in fear as I realized what it was about to do. **"Those who have seen this place... Must be ELIMINATED!"** With that horrible, horrible statement, it unleashed a fiery breath. I instantly ran for the nearest stone "wave" and covered my ears and eyes as the fire swept over and past me like a jet. I screamed like a frightened girl who just saw death as it did this. Well... Isn't aren't I a frightened girl right now?

It was easy to feel the heat right behind my back. It was like a pillar of flames coming at me, but thankfully, the rocks were able to redirect it above me, if not around me. Once the first ordeal was over, I slowly cracked my eyes open and slowly slid down the rock. My fingers tightened around the sides of my head, my sight was getting blurry with tears of fear, and my breathing became uneven. How could I possibly face something like this?!

_"I'm going to die! I'm going to die!"_ was all that I could think of. Oh, why did Princess Zelda have to send me to a place like this?! A tiny hand touched my wrist; looking up from my scared position, I noticed Kappa in front of me, staring at me with its tiny dark eyes.

_"My Mistress requests me to protect you, and so I shall,"_ it said without moving its mouth at all. Yeah, I forgot that it could talk telepathically as well. That did little to help me though. I was still shaking in fear of what I just experienced.

_"Theresa!" _came Sepherene's voice. Her ghost kneeled down next to me and spoke telepathically also; probably to keep the dragon from hearing. _"Stay in a safe place, Kappa and I will take care of this!"_

"Wha...?" I started, but before I could finish, a booming, thunderous roar interrupted our conversation. I closed my ears tightly again, hoping to decrease the volume of the sound at least a little bit, but the attempt was a little foolish. It didn't do much, really.

**"Do NOT think you can escape me! Do not underestimate a dragon's sense of smell!"** After that, I heard the sound of more stone being crushed underneath its weight, and the sound was coming closer and closer to me. I knew I had to move.

I looked to see where it was headed. As I expected, it was heading towards my direction. Its line of sight was directly at me, but either way it was in the right track. Doing my best to stifle my scream, I ran past four or five waves, hoping to find a way to stay away from its sight. But I had to heed its warning of its sense of smell. Hey, technically it's an animal, okay? Somehow, I was able to reach the side of the dragon as it continued to walk past me. I was well away from it, thank God! It was quite hypocritical, actually, that it walked right past me despite it bragging about its sharp senses. Huh, maybe its space is limited? I'm not quite sure, I think the game creators do this on purpose to some bosses in order for the player to get a chance to kill it. Maybe the rules of the videogame still apply to this world?! I heard a gasp from Sepherene. Alarmed, I turned towards her immediately.

_"Theresa, do you see it?!" _I quickly looked where her eyes were staring in either shock, surprise, or even... joy? Moving on, I squinted to see what it was that she was so excited about. And then I understood as soon as I saw it...

It was a soul.

Last time, Sepherene's was a bright, cerulean blue color; now, this one was a deep, blood-red hue. It was somewhat mesmerizing, in a way, but it was enough to draw my attention from the gargantuan beast that was headed towards me.

_"Move!"_ Before I knew it, I got knocked down by Kappa using the top of my head as a boost for it to jump high enough for a clear shot. Easily getting the idea, I ducked and covered my head, but managed to see what was going on. The dragon used its fire once more and was headed right for Kappa! I gasped at the sight and jumped to terrible conclusions; however, what unfolded before my eyes was jaw-dropping.

Kappa fired a shot of compressed water and vaporized the fire! Whoa, how could that little thing _possibly_ do something like that?! My amazement soon faded with shock, though, as my savior dropped to the ground. I only realized that the water in its head had been drained.

"Kappa!!" I yelled. I completely forgot about my fear as it was replaced with concern and alarm. I got up and sprinted to it as it struggled to stand. The fire dragon was already preparing for its next attack! A part of my mind told me I wouldn't make it, and I knew it was true... It was a foolish action, but I made my back face towards the beast in order to protect my helpless ally. So, this is how I'm gonna die, huh? Burn to a crisp with some sea monkey that I only knew for about a day or two, moreover it nearly killed me! But it protected me from that last attack, so now I have to do the same... I shut my eyes tightly and waited for my death, and held Kappa close like a child, yet...

The attack never came.

Seconds passed, and nothing happened. I blinked slowly, trying to take in what just happened, and tried to comprehend why this was happening. I looked down at Kappa to check on it, see if it's okay, y'know? It showed no sign of exhaustion or pain, but rather, looked as surprised as I was. I layed it down softly on the floor before turning around, slowly, to face my enemy and find out what was going on.

The dragon was... staring at me?

No, seriously! No joke, it was looking straight at me! I had no idea why, but I stayed in place, both out of fear and curiosity. Just in case, I held onto Kappa's left arm if I had to continue running. For a moment there, it looked like it was rather curious about me as I was about it. Suddenly, as soon as that look came upon its face, that same look disappeared. Its fierce glare returned as the dragon resumed its inhale. I immediately carried Kappa in my arms and sprinted once more; I'm pretty sure that I was having an adrenaline rush because honestly, I'm not the best athlete. Or rather, I'm not an athlete at all, and there's NO way I could be running this fast!

I slid to the outer part of another wave so the fire would split in two. Once again, I felt intense heat on both sides, but I held my protective position over Kappa.

_"I F**KIN' KNEW IT!!"_I thought to myself. At first I thought the dragon was having a change of heart or something, like how they do it in those manga when some character does something heroic and the enemy hesitates. Well, for a monster like this, there was something in the back of my mind that just assumed that it was too good to be true. I was sweating madly from being scared and this freakin' heat. I've been to Arizona and I've never felt this hot before! I took off my tiny jacket (even though it was short-sleeved) in an attempt to cool myself at least a little bit. Sadly it hardly did anything. Once the fire stopped, I looked over the rock to see what it was doing.

It was headed towards me again.

Carrying Kappa again, I made a run for it to a new shelter. The ground shook as the monster made its way toward me, I just hoped I wouldn't trip or anything. Then, the rumbling ceased. As I continued to run, I looked over my shoulder to see what happened: the dragon was inhaling again, most likely for another shot. Quickly turning, I slid to the protection of another wave, once more escaping a fiery death. I was starting to get tired, and I noticed my running was getting slower; I knew I couldn't keep this up much longer, I have to come up with a plan! But as I thought of this, something hit me. Not literally, but an idea came to me instantly.

The fact that it needs to stop to inhale might give me an advantage! I ran backwards this time to get a better view of my enemy; once again, it chased me, but made a type of annoyed look, if not angry. Truly, it's frustrating when you do your best to get rid of something smaller than you and fail. I know that feeling when I have to kill an ant and it keeps running away.

Anyways, as it got closer to me (I run slower when I go backwards) it stopped in its tracks and took a breath. Again, I went to a new wave. Good! I was correct! Well, for sure I can just run and hide whenever it tries to attack, but sooner or later, I'm gonna have to stop and then I'll be dead... But moving on with my plan, I set down Kappa gently onto the ground as large flames went past me in front and behind me. Suddenly, I drew my right foot quickly as I felt heat get the tips of my toes.

"OOOWW!" I cried. I instantly took off my right shoe and checked if there was any damage. Actually, it was just the top of the shoe that was on fire, and there was a tiny fire on the tip of my toes, but I quickly blew it out. My toes barely made it. But still, oh God, that was friggin' hot!

_"Are you okay?!"_Sepherene asked, appearing before me once more.

"Yeah, don't worry about me," I insisted, throwing my shoe to the side, "Can you distract the dragon for me?" The fires subsided, signaling me to take Kappa, stand up and run again, which I did. Sepherene floated alongside me as well.

_"What are you thinking?!"_

"Just do it! I have an idea!" My sight on the corner of my eye showed that the dragon stopped and inhaled. I slid once more to protect Kappa and myself from death. We barely made it to the safety of the rock, but I felt a sharp sting on my right thigh; I think all that sliding on cement was starting to leave scrapes over my skin. Okay, _now_ moving on with my plan, I swung my bag in front of me and searched through the inside. Finally, I found what I was looking for: bombs. I was careful not to take it out, however; I assumed that if everything here went by the game, the wick of the bomb will ignite as soon as I take it out.

_"Theresa---" _But I noticed the attack stopped, and I quickly yelled,

"GO! Distract it now!" She seemed to flinch a little, but flew away from me and upwards to the dragon's line of sight. I took deep breaths myself to try to calm down. After all, what I'm going to be doing was something from Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. Take a guess! Which boss did LoZ gamers have to defeat by throwing bombs in its mouth?

Finally getting the guts to carry out my plan, I left Kappa in the safety of the rock and ran towards my foe. Don't get me wrong, I'm not brave or anything. I just know that I'm gonna die here if I don't do anything. My heart was beating so fast from fear and anxiety. As I ran towards it, I realized just how huge it is. It was about the size of my house (perhaps 1 1/2 stories or something, heck, maybe it's even bigger than my house!) and its feet was about the size of my front yard. And, God, how sharp those nails looked! Not to mention how sharp its _teeth_ looked!

Its yellow, pupil-slitted eyes instantly came down on me. (I'm guessing it smelled me?) I thought I would stop right away, but somehow, my legs kept going. It's like they had a mind of their own, and their objective was to head right to the enemy! My heart was beating faster and faster by the second, I really thought that I was going to die of a heart attack right there! But anyways, Sepherene flew away as it lowered its head and sucked in air.

_"NOW!"_ I thought. And I took out a bomb quickly, and my theory was right, it did ignite on its own! Dropping my bag and taking the bomb in both hands, I threw it as far and high as I could, but I looked like a real idiot since I jumped and threw at the same time. My hair, sweat, and dust was getting in my eyes, but I brushed them away to see if I succeeded.

The dragon's mouth was closed, and it was staring into space as it tilted its head. The bomb was nowhere in sight, so I guessed it ate it.

And just as planned, the dragon jerked its head as a muffled explosion was heard in its stomach. Success! It opened its mouth, letting dark smoke escape from its insides. It was... panting? No really, it looked like it was breathing hard! I grabbed my bag and ran for it, all the way back to Kappa. And the whole time, I didn't feel the ground shake; what was going on?

_"You did it, Theresa!" _Sepherene praised. I lifted Kappa to get ready to run; I expected it to put up more of a fight than that. According to the usual gameplay, I'm gonna have to throw in two more bombs before it gives up. My legs were trembling and it was completely obvious. My knees were shaking so much! I was so scared and thought I was gonna die right there! How many times must I see death while I'm here?!

_"Theresa, it looks like it doesn't want to fight..."_ she said, peering around the corner of our hideout, _"Hey! We should investigate on that soul there!" _I completely forgot about that! I turned around to see that we were actually closer to it than before. I must have been running towards it this whole time without knowing it. But first, I needed to see if what Sepherene said was true. I looked with her, still holding Kappa in my arms. But then, the ground shook uncontrollably for, like, three seconds. But during those three seconds, the ground forced me to jump, and pebbles and dust came my way. I was lucky to not get anything in my eyes! We kept staring after that, and then when the dust cleared up...

We saw that the dragon was lying down.

Both of us were very confused. Maybe it wanted to rest? But we didn't just keep staring, we took advantage of the moment! I ran the opposite direction to reach the imprisoned soul, and thankfully, it wasn't that long of a run, even in my current state. I've never felt this exhausted, and I've DEFINITELY never felt this _dirty_. I mean, seriously, I left my jacket somewhere, I'm covered in dust, the end of my black dress was torn in some areas, and I'm missing a shoe! Some experience this is...

Anyway, we finally reached the soul. But we walked farther from it so that I could place my bag and Kappa in a safer distance, just in case. Sepherene decided to stay back and watch over Kappa, which was fine by me. Kappa wasn't in any bad shape other than dirty, though. It was just deprived of movement since it lost the water in its head. Sadly, I didn't think I had any water in my bag.

You could say I limped over to the soul. Again, I'm really, really tired! I haven't felt this tired even when I ran in Track and Field! It was only a good twenty feet away, or something.

This soul was different from Sepherene's, and the color wasn't the only difference. It looked menacing, but I knew I had to free it as I did with Sepherene, or at least I felt it was right to do so. Now, another thing that was different: it never spoke a word. Not at all throughout the whole time I was facing against the dragon, whereas Sepherene did her best to keep Kappa from killing me and Link. And not only that, her soul was held down by three chains; this one was held down by two. Good, maybe it'll be easier for me to free it! And for the final difference:

As I limped closer and closer to it, I felt... angry.

I was clenching my fists now, and bit my lower lip as I continued towards it. Thoughts raced through my mind about what just happened to me.

_"Link wasn't here to help me..."_

_"I nearly died here..."_

_"No. It's _Zelda's _fault for this! If she had done better with her spell, I wouldn't have gone through one of the worst experiences of my life!"_

I did my best to calm myself down, but it was very difficult. And by time I reached it, my nails were on the verge of cutting my own skin, and I had the feeling that punching someone would be the only way for me to relax. But I had to focus. Taking a couple of deep breaths, I did my best to push my anger away, and reached for one of the ominously glowing chains.

I got a good grip on it, however my hand clung like a magnet to the thing! A really, really strong magnet... A burning sensation shot up my right arm, and I screamed in agony and pain. There was nothing burning, there was nothing on fire, but I sure felt like I just put my whole right arm in a fireplace! I clenched my teeth, groaned loudly, screamed, and nothing could take the pain away. Hell, I was kneeling and my eyes were tight shut. It was like nothing could pull me away from the wretched chain!

Cracking open one eye, I checked to see if anything was happening. Thankfully, it was nearly disintegrated, so it was almost over. Eventually, there was no trace of the chain I just held. However, along with my exhaustion from running, I felt even more effete than ever before. I was now in a four-legged position, staring at the ground and watching beads of sweat fall. I was breathing so hard, it was like I was born with tiny, tiny lungs. I didn't think I'd survive this, especially as I realized...

There's one chain left.

I gritted my teeth and growled in frustration. Ugh, I didn't want to have to go through this! Besides, just how many more souls will I run into? I sighed softly to myself, realizing that I have to do this. Moreover, it'll be over soon. Just as I reached out for the final piece of imprisonment, suddenly, something wrapped around my torso. A tiny gasp escaped me, and before I knew it, I was being pulled back at a great speed. Wind blew my hair forward and obscured my sight; soon enough, I was turned to face a horrifying thing:

It was the dragon.

It was its gargantuan hand that grabbed my torso and legs. I had no way of escape, not that I had any energy to do so in the first place. Really, I was at the point of passing out. I didn't even attempt to slip out of its grip. I was mainly focusing on staying awake. For some reason, I felt obligated to free that soul, but right now, that seemed impossible.

The dragon's golden, slitted eyes stared straight at me. My eyelids were heavy, and my head was swaying. I did my best to keep looking at it; was it going to kill me? As I thought of this, the strangest thing happened.

The very thing that was trying to burn me alive earlier was laughing. Not an evil, triumphant laugh, but a hearty laugh.

Its mouth was wide open and its head faced the sky as it continued. Somehow, I was able to cover my ears in time despite how tired I was. Now my mind was completely focused on it. Why was it laughing? I intended to find out.

"Why..." I started. The giant creature slowly ceased its moment of happiness and looked at me once more. It waited patiently for me to continue. I cracked open my lips, however no words came out. Damn, I didn't even have the energy to speak?! Hell, I could hardly even hold my head up to face it.

**"You are wondering why I express amusement after attempting to kill you, aren't you?" **it asked, holding a cocky grin. With the little energy I had left, if I even had any, I slowly nodded. Its smile grew.

**"BAHAHAH!!! It is because... The great sorcerer my master has been waiting for... Is a mere CHILD!" **It looked as though it was holding back its chuckle, but boy, was he smiling. His great teeth revealed themselves to me, however I could not admire it, or fear it, like the dragon-lover or coward that I am. Well, maybe I'm not such a dragon-lover anymore since now I'm pretty much traumatized by this deadly experience. (Anyways) I couldn't retort. I couldn't defend myself and yell at it for calling me a child. Seriously, I don't consider 15 years old to be a child's age! I tried once again to speak.

"What... do you..." But words failed me. I ended up bending my head backward towards the sky; my eyes were closing. Geez, how many times am I gonna get K.O'd? I've lost count... I felt myself being let down slowly onto the ground, and the grip around me was loosening. Ah... This is comfortable. I've never wanted to sleep more in my life. Ah, bliss...

But then, I felt something softly touch where my heart is located. It was slightly sharp, but nothing that would've pierced my skin. I cracked an eye open to find out that it was the dragon's dark nail. Oh God, what's it gonna do?

**"You must not rest yet, O great sorcerer..."** I heard. I felt something warm engulf me, and I felt more and more energy come into me. Soon, my eyes were wide open, and I felt really refreshed. It was as though I never fought him in the first place! I even felt like I could face anything. Its nail lifted from my chest as I sat up and looked up at it with awe. What did it do to me? I stared at my hands. I felt a power I've never felt before... The great creature turned its head and looked past me. I turned around and found that it was looking towards the red soul.

**"Please, free my master from his eternal bounds,"** it said. It then bowed its head to me. **"And we shall aid you when you call."** I had absolutely no idea what it was talking about. Aid me? Sort of like how Kappa protected me? I wasn't sure... Did it mean that I would have to face more battles? How much longer will it be until I finally reach my goal? As I stood, I looked at the ground, distraught rather than excited to have a dragon as an ally.

I walked to the soul and held the final chain without hesitation. Thankfully, I didn't feel pain anymore. That power that the dragon gave me... Is that what's giving me the ability to tolerate this? However, as I did this, I only thought of negative questions. What happens if there is no way to return to my family? What happens... if I die?

There were neither remains nor evidence that the chains ever existed as I rested my hand. I only stared, emotionless, as the soul began to take shape.

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Whew! *wipes forehead* Finally, done with this chapter!

Yayz! Theresa gets a dragon ally! =D I wish dragons were real...

Review, please! X3


	10. The Start of a New Adventure

Author's Note: I AM SOOOOO SORRY!!! o I can't think of any other way to make this up to you guys! I'm sorry! Life just suddenly got more complicated for me! Teachers assigned multiple projects at once, one of my computers is starting to get screwed up, and rooms in my house are being remodeled! And I've been going to funerals a lot more often... So, again, I'm sorry for not updating any sooner! Please forgive me! And thank you to those faithful readers that stick with my story to the very end. ;w; You make me very happy.

And so, I finally managed to find some time to finish this chapter. Hope you like it!

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Chapter 10 - The Start of a New Adventure

Wind blew furiously at a great speed and forced my eyes open. My hair was dancing wildly, and I had to hold down my dress even if nobody was really behind me. It's just a habit, I guess, to hold it down whenever there's an opportunity for the wind to reveal my underwear. Well, ALL women should make it a habit anyway. I blinked a couple of times, but whenever I closed them I shut them tightly; after all, I was just waking up from a nap. What's going on? Oh, right...

I'm riding Niro.

Niro is a dragon. You know, the dragon that tried to kill me in the previous Forbidden Gate. Honestly, I thought it was a strange name for a dragon, and I really thought that I had to just call it "Dragon" or something, like how I call the Kappa "Kappa." Speaking of which... I turned my head to get the best view of my backpack, or at least try to look at it.

"Kappa! You okay?" I yelled through the air. Even though we're pretty much gliding through the air, the wind was still pretty rough and loud. Kappa still hasn't been able to retrieve any water, and has been immobilized ever since that battle. Geez, it must suck to not be able to move for a while... I tried to have it return to my soul with Sepherene (I recently learned it could do that), but it was desperate for water. The only reply was a small grunt. Eh, I'll take that as a "yes"?

I tried not to look down below Niro. We were pretty high up, that's for sure. Because of my fear of heights and the trauma that that Kargaroc caused me in the beginning of my journey, I've now grown a _deathly _fear of heights! Now normally, I would've just stuck to walking back to Hyrule Castle. But as I thought about it more and more, I realized how much of a workout that would be. Yes, I know I received some sort of energy from Niro that allowed me to break the chains that bounded the soul, but laziness is an automatic thing for me. And besides, I don't have that much stamina! I'm not like one of those Olympic athletes.

I was hugging Niro's warm, warm neck as we flew above Hyrule, and my legs were tight around his waist. Well, it wasn't exactly _around_ his waist, I was just trying to hang on. I don't even know if it's his waist or his chest... In fact, at the moment I cared more for hanging on than worrying if the end of my dress was fluttering madly. I wouldn't risk my life just to cover my panties!

"Niro! Are we there yet?!" Haha, typical of every traveling teenager... His head turned slightly towards me, his sharp eyes looking back.

"We are very near, mistress..." he replied, focusing once more on reaching our destination. I'm glad that his voice wasn't as loud anymore. Apparently, back at the Forbidden Gate, he was at his largest size. Meaning, he can change his size to whatever he wants! When he mentioned that, my inner "girliness" came out and I wanted him to change to his smallest size. He looked so adorable! Niro looked just like a baby, or chibi, dragon would! I would've cuddled him, but I wanted to keep my dignity as a tomboy (or at least that's what my friends think I act like). He changed his size to a sort of medium size. It was definitely bigger than me, yet it was very convenient for travel and for my eardrums.

Anyway, we were headed for Hyrule Castle. I have no idea how far The Hidden Village was from the castle, but it was far enough for me to take a nap on Niro's back. Seriously, I was tired from that experience! I just hope I get more athletic from going through Forbidden Gates. Closing my eyes, I prepared for another nap, when Niro's voice came again.

"Mistress, we are close," he started, stopping in midair and flying in place, "However, I fear that many of the townspeople shall think me an enemy if I reveal myself." I felt so, so lazy and exhausted. The energy he gave me probably wore off, somehow. I mean, how else would I feel this tired? I thought for a moment; well... Niro _is _a vicious-looking, dangerous, size-changeable dragon that can breathe fire. Of course he looks like an enemy! If he were in my world, I'm pretty sure someone would call in the army!

"Alright, set me down close to the gates, though." I answered, "Oh! And by the way, you don't need to call me 'Mistress.' 'Theresa' is just fine." Being called "Mistress" was making me uncomfortable. I was okay with Kappa since he never really called me that anyway. Nodding, he began to descend, which was giving me a queasy feeling in the pit of my stomach. In a matter of seconds, he gently landed just before a stone set of stairs.

I slowly jumped off his back and landed on grass; hey, he's pretty tall even if he's at his "medium" size! Looking around, I recognized this place as the part of Castle Town where you had to deliver Hot Spring Water to the Goron. You know, the Goron trying to break through those big boulders? The sunlight made this place more beautiful than the game could ever portray; everything was so vivid! I would've enjoyed it more, though, if it weren't for my exhaustion. Really, my knees were shaking, and I looked like a huge mess: I was missing my jacket and my right shoe, I was covered in dust and dirt, and some random parts of the end of my dress were slightly burned. I looked like a bum.

"Okay, Niro, you can go now." The red dragon nodded its head and began to glow as it closed its eyes. In a matter of seconds, it faded into light and went towards me. I absorbed it easily. Yeah, I wasn't completely sure of what it just did. He explained it to me earlier, but being the lazy daydreamer I am, I didn't get everything. Something like a Summoning thing? Walking up the steps, I gently lowered my backpack and opened it up. Kappa had its eyes closed and remained shut while I carried it to a large fountain. It had a large, intricate sculpture in the center of it, holding the Triforce at its peak. It looked pretty cool, but I focused on revitalizing Kappa. I lowered it into the fountain and let it float there. I didn't feel like waking it up myself anyway. Its dark, almond-shaped eyes shot open as it sat up, its basin-like head filled up with water once more. It looked pretty happy, jumping around and swimming like a speeding bullet. Obviously it was glad to come in contact with the cool liquid; after facing a dragon in a hot, rocky place, I expected it to be dried up by now. I'm actually rather surprised that it lasted that long!

"Come on, Kappa," I said, "We gotta get back to Link and the Princess now." It raised its head from the fountain water, looking at me with sad, pleading eyes. And for a moment, I thought I heard it whimper. Normally, I would feel a tad sorry for it and let it swim a little longer, but... Well, I was still in the middle of trying to control the soul I just collected. As a result, I looked at Kappa with stern eyes and irritatedly ordered it to return inside my bag. I had no idea how furious I looked, but apparently enough to make Kappa flinch! It hesitantly dried itself up and came inside the bag, adding more weight to my back again. I sighed. I didn't expect this soul to have that much effect on me! I didn't want to feel angry almost all the time!

Slowly, I began to make my way to Hyrule Castle Town. Strange... It was like every step I took made my body heavier and heavier despite the fact that I just took a nap. It might not have been enough sleep, after all I had no idea how long it was in the first place. As I passed through the busy streets, I could feel, or sense, some people staring at me. I didn't care, though; I just wanted to get to the castle. Geez, Niro's power really isn't long-lasting, is it? That's pretty lame, I'm gonna have to talk to him about that later.

I reached the large doors of the castle. Oh wait, I forgot: there's construction there. Big, burly Hylians, humans, and even Gorons looked in my direction, wondering why I was there in the first place. A couple of them stared at me sternly as though he was trying to tell me that this place was off limits. But I wanted to take a look at how far they've gotten. Um, how long did Link say it was since his adventure? Oh right, about six months. Wow, Hyrule Castle was **far** from finished! Well, not that I expected that it would be half-way done in six months... Okay, yeah, I did expect it to have more progress. In a world where magic exists, it would be okay to believe that it wouldn't take that long, right? But still, even if it needed a longer time to finish, it stood much taller than my puny stature. I could only imagine what its true height is. An excited feeling erupted in my stomach at the thought of seeing the completed building. Well... That is, if I stay here long enough to see it finished. But what are the chances of that?

Turning around, I headed for the correct destination.

_"Uuum, now where was it...?"_ I thought. As certain people stared at me, I noticed something different. Were they... _glowing_? It must have been my imagination, but as I rubbed my eyes and looked again, I found that it was true:

All of the citizens were glowing.

_"H-Hey, Sepherene."_ I thought. I felt a tad more comfortable talking with her. We seemed to grow friendly towards each other quickly, unlike the new soul I collected. Seriously, he hasn't spoken to me or even _thanked_ me yet! Maybe he'll talk once I see the Princess.

_"Yes?"_ she replied. I recognized her gentle voice in my head. I was actually surprised that she didn't know what I was thinking. Maybe she's actually obeying me about my thoughts! Or maybe she _does_ know and is just acting it out... Whatever...

_"Why are the people around me glowing?" _I asked. Now that I noticed, almost everyone was glowing with different colors. This was starting to hurt my eyes, also because I strained to see them in the sunlight. It would probably be best to see it in the dark... A small gasp echoed in my head.

_"This must be the first stage!"_

_"Wha--- Wha?! What do you mean 'first stage'?!" _Although I sounded angry and confused, I was actually fascinated. Maybe... Maybe this is the inherited magic from my great grandfather! Oh, how excited I was!

_"Well, if you can collect souls, then of course that means that you can see them as well!" _Woah, woah, so all this that I'm seeing is the peoples' SOULS?! But wait, I didn't see any floating orb or anything similar to when I met Sepherene or the creepy red one. Sepherene continued, _"Since this is the 'first stage,' as I call it, you can't see it as clearly as you should. Oooooh, your power must be growing with every soul you collect! This is so great!"_

In fact, even I smiled to myself. I was happy. Happy to know that magic is indeed real, and I can rub it in my family's faces! Or do I have to hide it? I'll have to answer that question later. Just by hearing Sepherene's answer, I felt more energetic. I didn't continue the conversation, however, as I decided to tell all of this to Princess Zelda. I looked around, excited at the discovery of my new power. My eyes turned to the direction of where Princess Zelda was residing in. I had hoped to find the souls of Zelda and Link (if he was still there) and see what color they glow, but sadly, my sight seemed limited. I was rather disappointed, but I guessed that I would have to be a bit more patient with this...

In a few moments, I found myself at the great Princess's door. I knocked as loud as I could, but without hurting my knuckle; I didn't want to add more pain to what I already went through. The door slightly opened, and the maid that answered it was the same one that opened it for me and Link before. She had a strange look about her eye, that same suspicious look that she had when we first met. However, it disappeared as she recognized my face, and it changed to one of shock and distress. Along with that, her hand was brought up to her mouth to stifle a gasp, and her eyes began to water. I was surprised, as well as confused. What was going on? She pointed a finger to my face.

"You! _You_ did this to the Princess!" she shrieked. My mouth was left hung open; uh-oh, that did _not_ sound good! As the maid continued to scream and throw names at me, it began to cause a ruckus among the people passing by. This caused murmurs and MORE strange looks towards me. Well, only one thing to do...

I did the first thing that came onto my mind and shoved myself through the door. Meaning, I pretty much forced myself past the screaming lady, who was beginning to hurt my ears. Afterwards, I quickly forced the door to close and locked it, the maid stepping back in shock.

"You... You stay away from the Princess!!" I began to stutter and wave my hands desperately in front of me in order to get her to calm down and explain, but instead, she did the totally stereotypically thing that I would've expected out of a maid: she grabbed a broom from a nearby closet, and got into a strange stance, but it definitely meant trouble!

"W-Wai---" But the crazy lady wouldn't listen to me; she only whacked me repeatedly while I protected myself with my arms. As she did this, she kept screaming, "Guards! Guards!" My eyes enlarged in alarm and fear... Oh God, I could even hear the heavy clattering of armor approaching! But... They were cowardly in the game. Would there be a way for me to scare them? No! Heck no! I don't wanna take a chance with armed men! So I took a tight hold of the maid's broom and wrenched it out of her grip. She seemed shocked and backed away, but held her ground. Of course, the only reason she would do that is because she knew guards were coming. I didn't waste time; I ran straight up the stairs leading to the large hallway with many doors, one of them leading to the Princess' room. I had a feeling there would be a soldier there at her door. Thankfully, it was only one.

"Halt!" he cried. He began to draw his sword, but it was only halfway when I got the end part of the broom (the end of the stick) and thrust it towards his helmet. Although it only hit him at the top of his head, I put all my strength into it; maybe I overdid it a little... It threw him completely off balance and made him trip backwards.

"Sorry! Sorry! Sorry!" I repeated as I opened and shut the door to Zelda's room. Honestly, my heart was beating fast. I didn't want to hurt to poor guy, moreover I didn't think it'd be that easy. Well, soldiers were always minor characters in the game, so I suppose the game creators never really made them that strong... I locked the door, but just to make sure, I put a chair up against it as well, like I would usually see in the movies. Turning quick and taking a deep breath, I sank down to the floor. Everything was stressing me out... Coming to a new world, surviving the Forbidden Gates, and now I'm being hunted for something I don't even know about! But I was about to find out as I heard a weak voice.

"T... Theresa? Is that you...?" I recognized it as the Princess's voice.

"Princess!" I gasped. She was lying on her bed with thick covers over her. A wet rag was folded above her forehead, and her breathing seemed a bit weaker. I had no idea what was going on... "What happened to you?" I walked to her bedside. I was distressed to see this, but the elegant woman merely chuckled.

"It seems... I overestimated my power, and used too much during the attempt to return you home..." Just then, the door banged loudly as the soldiers tried to enter. In fact, I think the door even curved a little each time they tried to break in. Alarmed, I went into a strange position, holding the broom in front of me. The soldiers grunted noisily every time they tried to break in, and I was getting scared with each moment.

"SILENCE!!" roared a voice behind me: Princess Zelda?! The attempt of breaking in immediately stopped. "Return to your posts IMMEDIATELY!" Then the confused shuffle of feet were heard, eventually leading to silence. I turned, shivering. Geez, she can be scary! But I returned to the main problem.

"I... I'm sorry..." I felt my eyes filling with tears; I never meant for this to happen to her. I never wanted to see her in such a terrible state. I raised my hand to wipe my eyes as the Princess gave me a reassuring smile; however, I noticed I was glowing red, and the red light around me was getting brighter. Soon, it streamed out of me to form a figure kneeling beside the Princess: Dyten is his name. My tears instantly disappeared, and my facial expression turned into a disgusted one.

"D-DYTEN?! What are you doing?!" He ignored me and focused on Zelda.

_"My dear, what terrible thing has come upon you?" _he asked gently. Dyten is a member of the Shiekah tribe. If he had been alive, he would probably be the only one in all of Hyrule! After all, I never saw any while playing Twilight Princess, except maybe for Impaz. But the Shiekah are proud, strong, and silent, and they served under the Royal Family for many years, or so I've learned from playing Ocarina of Time. But, there's a problem with this one... _Very_ wrong...

Dyten is a pervert.

Yes, even now as he expressed his "concern" for Zelda's well being, he was staring right at her chest! My face burned at this realization, and even the Princess herself seemed taken aback. The white-haired, red-eyed man turned to me with cold eyes.

_"This is your fault, isn't it?"_ I wasn't worried, nor was I affected by his stare in any way. What prevented me from being scared was his ridiculous personality.

"Please, Theresa did not wish harm upon me. It was merely an accident we could not foresee..." the Princess vouched. Dyten instantly turned his head to her with a gentle smile.

_"Understood, miss..."_

"WHAT THE FUCK?!?!?!" I screamed, doing a spin kick right at his head. But because he's a dead spirit, it only went through him and his head dissipated like a mist, which returned to its original form afterwards. But even if it didn't hurt him, he seemed surprised.

_"What the hell was that for?!" _he demanded, standing and staring down at me with a bloodlust in his eyes.

"What do you mean, 'What the hell was that for'?! You're hitting on the Princess while she's weak! Not only that, but you're being disrespectful and you're invading her privacy!!"

_"I swear on the Shiekah clan that I was not! I was only... checking on any other wounds!"_

"'Swear' my ass!"

"Enough!" demanded the Princess. Dyten and I immediately shut our mouths. Even in her current state, she was able to express control over others. Amazing... But it didn't take long for her to look worn out once more.

"Tsundere lecher..." I muttered, glaring at him with the corner of my eye.

_"Flat-chested child..."_ he muttered back. Really, I was ashamed to have the mark of Fire on my hand; it was next to the upside down triangle of Water. Fire was shown as a triangle pointing upwards. Although I believed Fire would be a powerful asset in protection and/or fighting, did the Godesses _really_ have to choose such a man?

"Theresa, I have something important to tell you. The fact that you are still here in Hyrule already endangers you." My heart skipped a beat; oh God, what now? I nodded slowly and went closer to listen. She slowly sat up and took off the small rag on her forehead. She began.

"Right after you disappeared, I did begin to lose power, yes... However, once I was taken into medical care, I was out cold for some time. During that period, I believe the Godesses - the deities we believe who created this world and Hyrule - sent me a vision. The world was dark... I only stood in silence and void for a few moments. It was cold, however, and I felt like I was freezing slowly. But soon, a light appeared from behind me. It burned with warmth, but as I drew closer to it, I realized that it was a large, yellow sphere. It even looked like it was in flames! But I recognized it easily, and it formed into the head of someone who has been threatening Hyrule since ancient times... His name is Ganondorf."

I was shocked. Oh no, now I'm caught up in the middle of a main storyline! Sure, this is what I wanted, but I didn't want to get involved with Ganondorf in any way! That big yellow thing she saw... It reminded me of when I beat Ganon (in the game) as a beast, and after Zelda regained her soul or whatever, Ganon erupted into yellow flames. This happened before Midna sacrificed herself; I figured that's what Zelda saw in her vision. She continued.

"I awoke a few hours after the teleportation spell, and notified Link of the vision, or dream if you will... Since this is a dire warning, I sent him on a journey to retrieve the only weapon that will defeat Ganondorf. It's a holy blade known as the Master Sword."

Her voice was drowned out momentarily as my inner game fan took over my thoughts. I'm gonna see _the _Master Sword?! The sword that's been kicking Ganon's ass for the longest time?! I'm really surprised it hasn't rusted away or anything... Must be some sort of magic or something...

"So... Should I go after him?" I asked, trying to hide my eagerness.

_"What's so special about going to him? Or is it for the sword?"_ Dyten asked sternly; why does he always sound a little pissed off when talking to me? Anyway, since he's technically a part of my soul now, he'd know my true intents... Geez, I'm gonna have to explain the rules of staying in my soul to him too! I'm gonna die of repetitiveness.

"No!" the princess said, "It is a dangerous route; there are many obstacles there that won't allow you to pass!" Just then, I remembered how Link needed that weird golden Cucco and the Gale Boomerang to get through... Then an idea came to mind, along with a huge smile on my face.

"Don't worry, I can fly now!" She seemed confused by what I meant. I reminded her of how I can "collect" souls now, and introduced her to Dyten, the soul of Fire. Along with him was the Elemental Animal of Fire, Niro the Dragon. Well, I wasn't sure of whether it was "Elemental Animal" anymore; Dyten corrected me and Sepherene during our first encounter and called it "the entity of his soul." Something about it always being there and being awoken with the help of the Godesses. I dunno, I daydream during long lectures such as those. I'll have to ask another time.

The Princess held her chin in thought, then spoke once more.

"No matter, I will not allow you to go..."

"WHAT?!"

"It is dangerous, Theresa, you must understand that! We must leave this to Link. He must do this alone."

_"Theresa, listen to those above you!" _I knew Dyten was only supporting her for her breasts though... I began to shake as I lowered my head and my hands turned into fists; I didn't want Link to carry this big responsibility on his shoulders again. Not that I wanted to replace him, I'd probably lose my life instantly! But to have him sent on a mission so soon after his return didn't seem fair... I wanted to do something to help...

"Theresa, please---"

"I CAN'T JUST LEAVE HIM LIKE THAT!!" Tears slowly rolled down my red cheeks. Really, he's done so much for me now, I had to repay him somehow. Both the Princess and Dyten looked stunned at my sudden outburst. I sighed and wiped my face. Regaining control of myself, I did my best to answer again. "Link has done a lot for me, and made an effort to help return me home... And I... overheard something while in Ordon Village. Apparently, something like this has happened before, and he just returned. For him to do this again doesn't seem fair, even if it's necessary." I looked at both of them with a determined face. "I don't know how I have this power, or even why I have it. But I can't just stand around and see Link have to do all of this again; I will use this power to help in any way I can!"

The Princess looked stressed, but deep in thought. It didn't take long for her to finally say something.

"I understand your concern for Link; in fact, I feel the same way, as well. I feel like I ask too much of Link, and I don't do my part well as the ruler of Hyrule..."

"Well... If I go with Link and help him with confirming your vision, maybe I'll find a way back home in the process. You know how much that means to me! This might be my only opportunity!" Pretty much, I was pressuring her and finding any possible way to get her to accept my request. Looking up at me after a few moments, she nodded.

"Very well, Theresa. You may go with Link. I believe he went to Faron's Woods. I shall provide you with a map and supplies before you leave."

"Thank you... Princess..." I said, bowing slightly.

"However!" she continued, "You... I'm sorry... You look... terrible..." I slumped a little and realized how messy I appeared in front of her. I expected her to stare at me in disgust, but instead she giggled. "You'll have to get a change of clothes soon, one suited well for traveling. And you look very tired! You should rest for a bit before heading out."

Now that I thought about it, I was famished and parched. My stomach growled slightly, but I held it to stifle it.

"Would you like a meal?"

"Yes, please..." I chuckled. Soon enough, I was taking a nice bath in a marble bathtub and with nice scents all around me. All my stress faded away. Afterwards, I wore a soft robe and ate a feast like a pig; I couldn't help it! I was starving! After I finished my meal, I could've sworn my stomach was about to burst, but it was a nice feeling. I was asked to return to Zelda's room as soon as I was done. She continued to lie down on her bed, but sat up as I approached. She smiled kindly towards me.

"Satisfied?" she giggled.

"Very!" I replied.

Being around the Princess made me feel... girly, as well as royal. But I didn't want to get stuck-up or anything; the point is that she felt like an older sister to me... Then again, more like a mom considering how she was preventing me from helping Link. But _nobody_ can ever replace my Mom! Ever!

"My guards are filling your bag with proper supplies at the moment, and my maid should return with your change of clothes any minute now." I just realized that Kappa was still inside the bag, but was relieved as I felt something hug my leg very tightly. Of course, it was the one and only sea monkey... I still wonder why it doesn't return to my soul like Niro does... But I was a tad confused.

"You don't have anything in your closet that fits me?"

"Well, not that anything in my wardrobe would be suitable for journeys."

_"Besides, your chest would never be able to fit into her dresses!"_ Dyten said in my head.

_"Shut up..."_ I retorted. A knock from the door interrupted our little quarrel, and the Princess allowed that person to enter: it was the crazy maid. She still looked at me with uncertainty and suspicion, but I didn't mind; I have Zelda on my side!

"I hope you like your new clothing," Zelda said, smiling brightly. Even in her tired condition, her smile could brighten up anyone's day! The maid lowered a bag that had two "M"s on it as an insignia; it must me Malo Mart!! Whatever she got from there, it was probably good! The maid lifted up the outfit carefully for the both of us to see.

I gasped.

* * *

Phew! Glad that's over! w Okay, I suddenly came up with this idea last minute, but YOU, my lovely readers, can help me design this new outfit for Theresa! Of course, I have a backup plan if nobody ends up participating, but whoever comes up with the best design gets the Super Special Cookie of Awesomeness!! :D It'll be awesome to see all of your creative ideas! And if I don't end up putting up your design in the next chapter, you still get a nice cookie of your choice for participating. :3

So come up with awesomely awesome ideas! I eagerly await!

Please review despite my long disappearance. D:


	11. Training

**Author's Note:** *sigh* I'm sleepy... Not much to say except that I still hate school. I still hate all the work and studies and the pressure to do well with grades... Ugh, too much work... Anyway, thanks to all those who are so faithful to my story, and even more thanks to those who leave reviews. They're very appreciated! And thank you to those who wanted to help design Theresa's new outfit (even though only one person participated). And one person wanted to draw it, but I got nothing so... yeah... You get the Super Special Cookie of Awesomeness! (I think that's how it went...?)

Okay, new chapter!

* * *

Chapter 11 - Training

I was completely revitalized from Zelda's hospitality; she offered me to stay for one night in order to regain my strength, and I gotta say, I haven't slept that well in a long time! I slept like a baby! Anyway, her guards gave me a better, stronger bag to carry and it had a lot more space as well. I was able to fit in a couple of bags of food and a flask of water, which I assumed would last me some time, and along with those I got a hooded overcoat for cold weather. Then they also gave me a sleeping bag to carry; I didn't think they had any sleeping bags in Hyrule, but then I remembered how Link always had one on Epona's saddle.

I was looking at myself in the mirror as I wore my new attire I received from the Princess's maid. It was a dark purple tunic, similar to Link's except without chainmail. It _would_ protect me from monsters, however I don't think I'll last long walking around in that uncomfortable "undershirt." It was styled almost the same way as Link's, but with no hat and the top seemed to have some sort of "mini-poncho". What I mean by that is that it looks similar to a poncho back in my world, but it stopped right at the bottom of my breast. It had three dark stones on that part of the tunic, and it was said to bring good luck. Honestly, it looked more ominous to me, but I was okay with it because black and purple go well together. There was white lining that went all around the bottom of the tunic, and the bottom ended around my thigh. Its sides were slit, which was convenient for running. Underneath the tunic was the usual white long-sleeve shirt and white tights, however they weren't as flimsy as the ones I usually wore back home. These were a tad thicker and warmer, but not too thick to where I burn up in the next few seconds. The purple clothing was really baggy on me; once the maid put a belt around me, however, it made it much more slim. The belt consisted of one of those strange bags that seemed to be able to hold _anything _and _everything_. You know how Link would somehow be able to fit that gigantic Ball and Chain inside and take it out with ease? Yeah, that. I put my bombs inside the very, very deep bag and placed my dagger inside my right boot, with its sheath on of course. I wanted to be cautious and make sure I had a back-up weapon anyway. The belt came with the sheath of a short sword that one of the guards gave me. Turned out it was the guy I hit in the head on my way to Zelda's room. Being the overly-guilty girl I am, I apologized a lot more this time, but he dismissed the matter with a hearty laugh.

The short sword was clearly made of steel from its shiny appearance and somewhat heavy weight; the hilt was made of a beautiful bronze material, but sadly, it also contributed more weight to it. The blade extended upwards in a straight fashion, but after a third of the blade it curves outward slightly before it curves back into a deadly, sharp point. The part of the hilt that kept me from cutting myself with the sharp steel looked like a type of "U" shape, similar to Viking or Roman style. I forget which one. Moving on, the end of the hilt had a round circle (not a sphere) that had the sign of the Triforce engraved in it. In fact, it was on both sides of that circle. I swung it with ease with my right hand, but still, for me it is still rather difficult to handle a sword. It was much easier and faster with both hands; perhaps I should train that way until I can hold it with one. If not, I'll stick with my hidden dagger.

Gathering my things and sheathing my new weapon, I thanked the Princess once more for her kindness. She was still rather weak, but was able to speak much better and even walk for some time.

"Ah, I have a few more things to give you," Zelda stated. She made a gesture to three of her soldiers to bring some boxes. They did so and brought three smooth wooden boxes, each guard holding a separate one. They all opened it, revealing three bottles of Blue Potion. I began to get excited once more, but I had to pretend I had no idea what it was.

"What is it, Princess?" I asked, smirking to myself in my head.

"These are Blue Potions. Very expensive in the Markets, but very beneficial and rewarding. When you feel tired and worn-out, drink a bottle and it will replenish you instantly. And since you can use magic, this can also replenish your magic power."

I had forgotten which Potions do what. The only one I remembered was the Red Potion, which filled up the Health bar. Or... At least, that's what I think it does... I gently took one bottle from its container and held it in my hand. The bottle was bigger than I had anticipated, and I needed my _whole_ hand just to hold one side of it, and it was somewhat tall. A wide bottle like this will come in handy in the future. The blue liquid inside didn't look thick or anything. Rather, it looked like Blueberry Kool-Aid juice, or just like any other fruit drink I'd have back home. I carefully placed all three inside my bag and thanked her again. Zelda nodded and sat up on her bed.

"Now go. Aid Link in any way you can... Please..." I could tell she truly trusted me and relied on me. I guess the fact that I survived on my own showed my courage, whatever amount I actually have in me. I gave her a huge, confident smile.

"Don't worry, Princess. I won't let you down!" She nodded once more and gently smiled at me. As I left her room, she waved to me and wished me good luck. Even Kappa waved back at her as it followed me out the door. I still don't know why it doesn't want to return to my soul...

As I exited the Princess's large abode, the sunlight hit me in the eyes and I had to shade them. Now that I had more energy, I had more determination as well, and walked amongst the crowd. Well, before I go on and find Link, there's one very, _very_ important thing to do:

Find my horse.

I remembered I ditched her at some gate to enter Castle Town, then disappeared to the Hidden Village for who-knows-how-long and then spent the night at Zelda's. Geez, I'm such a terrible horse owner... As I passed through hordes and hordes of strolling citizens, I was still able to see their souls. Well, not exactly; rather, they were still glowing. And in fact, they were glowing the same eerie, light blue color... The same color as when they were turned into spirits in the Twilight. I wondered why they were all the same color, and I figured it was probably because they were only minor characters. That would make sense anyway. I headed to the gate where I left my dear horse, and I saw that Epona was missing. Obviously it was because Link had to go retrieve the Master Sword. He must be having lots of fun with Skull Kid and his puppets... Despite my long disappearance, Mei still recognized me and neighed happily at my return. It caused me to smile and hug her neck; I was glad she still loved me. In fact, I think she's the only animal that does _not_ hate me... Seriously, all pets and animals avoid me for some reason... Anyway, even if riding Niro would probably be a shorter way of travel, I didn't want to risk him being seen, nor did I want to risk falling at a great height. I was already scarred for life by that damn Kargaroc.

After attaching my sleeping bag to the saddle along with my bag, I climbed up and made her turn around. Kappa ran in front of Mei with sad eyes and extended its arms toward me like it wanted to be carried. Again, my inner girliness came out and I felt sorry for it, but I had no room in my bag this time, and I didn't want it to sit in front of me, otherwise it can lose the water in its head.

"Just return to my soul," I asked kindly. Kappa stared for a bit, that is, before it shook its head. He really reminded me of Pikachu from the "Pokemon" cartoon. Pikachu never wanted to get into its PokeBall... Kappa is exactly the same way, and unfortunately for Kappa, I wasn't as kind as Ash. In fact, I was getting annoyed at its stubborn personality.

"Why not?" It only stared. Apparently, it didn't want to speak. I had no idea why... "Just return to my soul like Niro did, goddamnit!!" Before I knew it, Kappa glowed a type of blue, similar to Sepherene, and turned into light which I absorbed. Did that just happen? Did I just _force_ Kappa to come into my soul? Now I felt like such a jerk, but I knew it was for the best. In order to make myself feel better, I blamed Dyten for his overpowering emotion of anger, which actually rewarded me with an insult from him. Shaking my head, I focused on the main task at hand. I took out a map I received from one of the Princess's guards and scanned through it. It was clear that I was at Castle Town, and even if I had no way of reading Hylian, it seemed like Faron Woods shouldn't be too far.

~ : ~ : ~

My breathing was heavy, and beads of sweat rolled down my face as the sun continuously beat down on my back. My legs were soaking wet and I was so, so tired.

_"Oooh, you nearly got it, Theresa!"_ said Sepherene, clapping her hands excitedly, _"Try again!"_

"Sepherene," I whined, "That's, like, the 20th time you said that!" My legs were shaking in the water and I felt like I was ready to collapse. After some thought (which I wondered why it even required any thinking at all in my current state), Sepherene finally allowed me to have a break. I stepped out of the water and fell back onto the grass. Dyten sat cross-legged underneath a shady tree, glowing red of course, shaking his head.

_"You're so weak,"_ he said, _"No wonder Niro had to lend his own power to you..."_

"Shut up! I got tired of running from him anyway. And besides, this was your damn idea!" Dyten only gave me a _"Hmph..." _before standing. What was going on? Oh nothing, just that Dyten somehow persuaded me to train in magic before heading to Faron Woods.

_"Taking the risk head-on is a foolish idea,"_ he said. To me, listening to him was a foolish idea! I decided to let Sepherene teach me first since she was the first soul I collected, so I went ahead and rode on to Lake Hylia. Oh, how beautiful it is! The water was so clear and the lake itself was so vast and large! If only Kappa didn't give me a fear of swimming, I'd be more comfortable. Though spending more time in the shallow side of the water gave me a better feeling rather than going to the darker, deeper side. Anyway, since Sepherene is a soul that controls Water, I'd start training in water magic. I was actually surprised to find out that _I_ am in control of her powers now. I remembered Zelda giving some lecture about the connection of souls and magic at some point, but of course I didn't pay much attention; it felt too much like school, and that is something that I do not want to repeat!

Anyway, the first thing that Sepherene decided to teach me was how to lift water and control it. I was able to carry a small orb of water about the size of a marble. Easy. But she challenged me to something larger, and I found the largest I could hold was the size of a basketball, and heck, that took a LOT of effort! In fact, bending it to a different shape was even more difficult! That already got me breathing unevenly. Despite the slow progress, Sepherene thought otherwise. She commented that I was learning pretty fast, but I wasn't satisfied with the results at all. She decided to move on and review that later with me. The next thing she taught me...

How to walk on water.

Now that sounded cool if I was okay with getting exhausted like I was doing the worst workout of my life... But since I'm most definitely not okay with getting easily exhausted, I couldn't hold my balance for more than a second! That's why my legs got wet. Very wet. Thankfully, I took off my boots beforehand. On the down side, my legs and feet were freezing now.

"S-Sepherene..." I managed to breathe. She floated over immediately. "Why am I... so tired...?" She opened her mouth to answer, but the smart-ass pervert had to intervene.

_"Magic takes the concentration of a great mind. Full-fledged mages can bend things to their will very easily. And every magic spell has a price. Using magic normally would stress your mind, or your mana if you have a decent amount. If not used responsibly, your own power would eventually make you collapse."_

Yeah, that's what's happening to me... He continued.

_"However, it seems that your mind cannot take whatever spell you are using, and you don't have much mana either. So, when YOU use magic, it takes physical strength."_

"Ain't that peachy..." I complained. Dyten only smirked.

_"You really aren't quite the athlete, are you?"_

"I got better things to do than exercise..." Seriously, I'm that lazy.

_"I'm actually surprised you managed to survive two Forbidden Gates."_

"Oh, thanks a lot! And besides..." I looked towards the sky at that point. "I'm pretty surprised myself..." Finally, he stopped harrassing me, but continued smirking triumphantly, like he took great pleasure in picking on me. He was like the stereotypical bully or something... But that's not important. I looked towards the clear blue sky, wondering if the goddesses were real. Really, a normal girl like me that came from a world of technology and constant entertainment couldn't possibly survive ordeals like I just went through, or at least I didn't believe I could. But I did survive. I'm still breathing. Was I just lucky? Do I know too much about the game to actually know how to survive? Or...

Were Din, Nayru, and Farore watching over me?

I tried to shrug it off, deciding to find out later, and closed my eyes. I wanted to rest...

...

About 10 minutes passed since I shut my eyes, and Sepherene was determined to continue my training. Ugh, how I hated this... I was knee-deep in the water once more, still tired, still wanting a nap. But hey, aren't all teens like that?

_"Alright, Theresa. How about we go over lifting water again?" _I groaned in reply. I lifted my hands and concentrated on the water once more. Breathing deeply, I focused. The water began to float in midair, right in front of me. It never stayed in a perfect sphere; it would instead... Sort of... move around or wave around. It's hard to describe, but it never ceased to amaze me. I never felt this excitement before; it was thrilling!

_"Good, good!" _she said. Without her permission or command, I decided to challenge myself. Somehow, I gained more confidence in myself through seeing my small achievements despite my growing sloth. Heh, ten minutes of napping must've changed me or something... I began to shape the water into a weapon, sort of like what I'd see Waterbenders do from "Avatar: The Last Airbender." Because I was slowly gaining control over the four elements, I couldn't help but think of that show that I would see at times of complete boredom. I made a clear, detailed image in my mind, eventually leading to the shape of a spear. The water spear was still just as clear and blue and, well, wet, but it wasn't difficult for me to hold it in my hand. I breathed in and out, holding the weapon with my two hands. But then a question came up.

"Hey, Sepherene... Is it possible to make this frozen solid?" The blue soul had a questioning look upon her face, but of course knew the answer.

_"No. Water is liquid; to make it solid, you obviously need control over ice. Although you can control water very nicely, in your state, you can't freeze it." _Oh darn, I guess I can't base everything from "Avatar: The Last Airbender"... I have to admit, I was a bit disappointed. After all, wouldn't it be a more effective attack if it were solid? I didn't think splashing around in water would help me out in the field of battle at all.

"Oh well, beggars can't be choosers, I suppose." Again, Sepherene looked puzzled. I guess she didn't understand what that meant, but I decided to ignore it. With a mischievous smile crawling across my face, I turned to where Dyten was. He was sitting down once more, but with his eyes shut and pondering something, if not resting. Lifting the spear in the air, I used a sudden burst of energy to throw it at him; and it worked!!

But it never hit him. By the time the spear was within five feet of his range, he merely turned his head to the side, the liquid weapon spalshing on the tree behind him.

His cold, red eyes slowly opened, glaring at me. I think he was trying to scare me, but on the contrary, I still held that playful smirk on my face.

_"I'm a warrior of the proud Shiekah tribe," _he began,_ "Destined to protect the Royal Family from any danger. Did you really think I would be unable to dodge such an obvious attack?"_

"Then why didn't you dodge my kick while you were hitting on the princess?" Immediately, he lost his cold stare, changing to one of surprise and slight embarrassment. He was at a loss for words. "Ha! Gotcha!!" I yelled triumphantly. Sepherene and I laughed heartily as he was still unable to explain that contradiction. But... It wasn't long before the world began to spin around me. Soon enough, my legs gave in, hearing Sepherene's alarmed voice right before I passed out from using too much of my physical energy.

~ : ~ : ~

I slowly opened my eyes, blinking to clear up my vision. I was... Floating? I had no control of where I could go, or how I could move. I was only floating, descending slowly in an eternal darkness.

_"Oh, it must be a dream..." _I figured. It was true; ever since I arrived in Hyrule, my dreams have been consisting of me floating in an endless void. Like there was never any world to begin with... I remembered that my dream before I came to Hyrule, I witnessed its creation. From there, I couldn't recall anything else...

I began to slowly straighten up, until I landed gently on my feet on something solid. It was still pitch black though. I looked around me, but there was still nothing. But finally, a light emerged from behind me. Turning, I found a large purple sphere with flames of a lighter shade. It was taller than me, in fact. Around it spun two other orbs: one a calming blue, and one a dark red. I could feel the energy coming from the two. Very familiar energies as well...

It was Sepherene and Dyten.

They were not taking their human shape, however, and just... Circled slowly around that huge purple thing. Then I finally remembered: the goddesses told me that was my soul! I walked closer to it, feeling warmth coming from it. I held out my hands and closed my eyes, looking back at the memories I shared with my loved ones.

My soul was pouring that into my head.

I cried softly. I missed home, I missed my annoying siblings, and I missed my strict parents. My friends, my relatives... They must all be looking for me. I made no sound, I made neither a whimper nor a sniffle. Salty tears merely rolled down my red cheeks, silently and gently. But when I opened my eyes again, I saw something within that comforting soul. I narrowed my eyes and wiped my face dry, realizing it was yet another glowing orb. But...

It was an ominous yellow shade.

Before I knew it, my legs were being drawn to it. I walked towards it, to the center of my own soul. What was that inside? Extending my hand to it, my fingers flinched back a bit, hesitant. But curiousity was overcoming my senses, and slowly, I touched it.

As soon as I did, though, my eyes shot wide open, my serenity and peace completely shattered. I held my head tightly in my hands, gritting my teeth and enduring a strong pain. It was like a migraine, only worse! Or even like my head was splitting open and I was desperately trying to keep it together. Either way, it was a large amount of agony, and multiple emotions overflowed me, similar to when I first met Sepherene and Dyten. With those two, I only felt specific ones: sadness and anger. But this one... It had so many... So many that I never thought I would ever feel in my life:

Bloodlust... Revenge... Extreme and never-ending hatred!

They were all coming into me! Along with those, I saw terrible things. Things that I knew were too horrible and grim for me to ever wish for something like those. And yet... I felt like I wanted it to happen at the same time. Those visions included the agony of innocent people, mass murders, torturing. Everything was too much for me! I couldn't take it! My face raised to the heavens, if there was any, and I screamed. I yelled like it would take the pain away, but it wouldn't.

Collapsing, I curled up, still holding on to my head.

"Leave me alone..." I begged. "Leave me alone!" I had no idea who or what I was talking to... Maybe I was just speaking to the pain? I didn't know what caused it, or what that thing was in my soul. But it seemed too horrid to actually be a part of me.

"Leave me alone... Leave me alone..." I repeated, rocking back and forth, until the darkness swallowed me up.

~ : ~ : ~

The day passed slowly after I awoke. I didn't have the will to eat, and I treaded slowly through Hyrule Field even if I was riding a horse. I forced her to slow down to a walk, like I had no will to do anything. I was... lifeless.

_"Theresa, what is wrong?!" Sepherene demanded for the millionth time. "What's happened to you?" Apparently even souls in my body had no idea what's going on in my own dreams. How strange... Throughout this whole slow, sluggish time, she was the only one trying to get answers from me. Finally, it was time for Dyten to step in._

_"Link won't recognize you if you return to him like this..." _he stated, completely unemotional and uncaring. And yet at the same time, it was like he was doing his best to bring me back. It really did help though. That one statement hit me. I stopped Mei's slow trot and tightened my grip on the reins. Dyten continued, _"You seemed so confident with your 'wonderful' speech to the Princess. You had that feeling that you could help him. Now, in your current state, you can't even speak."_

This was... confusing. Even I did not know what was going on with me. But that name that he said...

"Link..." I muttered. The two souls' heads shot up as I finally said something. That name... That man... I began to remember what he's done for me, what he's tried to do for me to get home. Me, a perfect stranger. And yet he showed kindness to me... I breathed slowly. Perhaps if I held on to that name, if I held on to my few memories of him, I'll actually be able to think straight. I made Mei go forward, slowly gaining speed, going faster and faster each second. Sepherene was completely relieved and smiled excitedly as she returned inside me. Dyten flew with me shortly, commenting,

_"You're a strange one, you know that?" _I was able to beam at him.

"Thank you... Dyten..." His eyes widened just slightly before he returned my smile. Soon afterwards, he, too, came back into my soul. I rode on to Faron Woods, finally making my stop where the gamer makes his/her way through to get to the ruins of the Temple of Time. There, I found Epona chewing on some grass along with the golden cuckoo. Dismounting Mei, I put a hand to my chest, breathing once more and closing my eyes.

"Link... Wait for me."

* * *

Yeah, I was pretty much half-dead while writing this. Sorry if it's a tad confusing to you guys, but stress really changes a person, especially someone buried underneath homework...

R&R, pwease!


	12. Reunited

**Author's Note: **Aargh, updating this is getting harder and harder along with keeping up with school... Sorry, my grades dropped momentarily and so I had to give this up for some time, though I'd much rather keep writing this rather than STUDY! Well, at least now my grades are fine, and I've finally gotten the time to finish up this chapter. I deeply apologize to any reader that's frustrated with me, or irritated, or disappointed, or any form of negative feeling towards me for being too slow with writing. Please don't hate me! D;

Well then, here's the next chapter.

* * *

Chapter 12 - Reunited

I walked upon the large tree stump that looked over the edge of a foggy abyss. A nauseous feeling overtook my stomach as I leaned over for a peek, but as soon as I felt that, I drew back from the rim. I breathed a couple of times to make myself calmer, but the blue bird with the afro wasn't helping at all. Ever since it noticed me enter the area, it's been squawking at me to buy something! It never bothered Link that much in the game! What a salesman...

"Niro," I called. I was immediately covered in that same creepy red glow as Dyten's soul, and it took the shape of that awesome dragon that I know and automatically love. Niro was at his "medium" size again, as I like to call it; not too big, nor too small. He lowered himself for me so I could mount him; oh boy, I had a feeling it would be a bumpy ride without a saddle. The two horses behind me neighed in fear, rearing up and kicking the invisible air with their forelegs. The golden Cuckoo, however, just strutted and sparkled as though it was the only beautiful thing in the world. I was surprised it could maintain its composure like that... I was sure that the two horses would not leave, though, since Epona would never run away when surrounded by enemies while I was playing. So Mei won't do that either.

"O-Okay, d-don't go too fast," I stuttered. He only grunted in reply, not wanting to speak. Without much reassurance, I wrapped my arms around his neck and we took off into the air. There was a strange, queasy feeling in my gut that increased as we ascended, but it was a good thing that from our ascent we began gliding. It was a nice experience just soaring through the air despite my tight grip around his strong, scaly neck, which was an obvious sign of fear. The side of my head was pressed against the back of his neck as well and my legs held tight around his torso. It wasn't the most comfortable ride, after all I have no saddle underneath me to support me, therefore I felt the dragon's large, bony spine immediately making my legs sore. Sometimes, I'd try to move a bit to get more comfortable, but it risked me losing my balance, so it's a lost-lose situation. Both Niro and Dyten seemed amused at this, whereas Sepherene and Kappa were just... I dunno, just not supporting me in any way?

We reached land fairly quickly. My once shut eyes opened slowly, finding that we landed at the right place. To my left I gazed upon one of the great Howling Stones, never taking my eyes off of it as I dismounted Niro. However, my little "hypnotized" appearance disappeared as I felt soreness in between my legs strike me again. Geez, I guess I was still getting used to the difference in shape between a horse and a dragon. Shaking my head, I remembered what I came here for, and drew out my short sword. The familiar red light enveloped the silent creature and returned to me as I entered the tall entrance to the labyrinth-like woods.

Upon entering, I stared up at the treetops, finding no sign of the sky and sun, yet there was light that didn't seem supported by the torches only. The floor was not covered in grass, but with leaves that have fallen, and underneath revealed firm cement. I did not have enough time to take in my surroundings completely, though, once I heard a high-pitched inhalation followed by the blowing of a trumpet. Skull Kid! I gasped, hearing the clatter of wood falling and rising. I stared at the things that had appeared before me:

Five wooden puppets.

Well, there was no other way to describe them, other than creepy and scary with their eternal smiles. I raised my weapon in defense as they came at me, but of course I was beginning to breathe unevenly from my anxiety and fear of what could happen. That was mainly because I have no idea how to use this stupid sword!

One puppet that was slightly ahead of the others swung at me with its arm, and I ducked underneath it and pushed it with the flat of the sword with all my might. It was enough to push it back into another one of its kind, but two more came at me. Once they both got into range, for they were both the same distance from me, I swung my sword at them with both hands. I managed to hit their heads, placing cuts upon their well-crafted faces. I made a run for it afterwards, and the final one attempted to hit me with its arm. Barely dodging it, I jumped to the left and managed to only get a small bruise on my upper right arm. I continued to run, but not mainly because of fear.

If I went after Skull Kid, then the puppets would be useless!

I followed the sound of the trumpet playing Saria's Song, and I had to admit, it was pretty loud. The maze seemed like it was never-ending as I chased the sound of the music while being pursued by the same five enemies. I heard it! It was getting louder! I ran through one more small tunnel and found him. Skull Kid played his instrument on top of a set of large stairs like I was nonexistent, swinging side to side in a childish dance. I wasted no time; I climbed up the stairs before he could disappear, and I slashed at him.

"Haaa!" I cried, my blade making contact with his wooden skin. He shrieked, ceased his playing and disappeared into thin air. All that was left of him was a set of dead leaves and his giggle. Another sound of clattering wood caught my ears and made me turn quickly, but all I found was a pile of those puppets. They slowly turned into an ominous black color and eventually exploded, leaving no trace of their existence. Wow, exactly like the game. Sadly, that was short-lived.

Another high-pitched inhalation and trumpet blowing occurred, which only called more of his lifeless minions to come after me. Aw man, this was going to be troublesome...

I ran once again. I didn't want to deal with them in a battle while I am at a disadvantage, but rather continue with my current plan. After all, it seemed to be the best solution anyway; if I kept this up, then it's guaranteed I'll win this little game of Hide-and-Seek. I had to follow the sound of Skull Kid's playing once more while running away from the floating marionettes. Scariest... thing... EVER! It's like a horror movie brought to life, except I wasn't screaming because I got used to their appearances through playing "Twilight Princess." Though the fact that I was being chased by those things is still extremely frightening.

The cheerful music led me to a tall, cliff-like structure surrounded by water. I excitedly remembered this area, but I was more happy to find the water. Concentrating, I made a small stream of water flow upward and float. The possessed, wooden marionettes were close, and finally finding the right time, I threw it at them with much force. It caused them to stumble back a couple of feet and fall upon each other, but unfortunately for me, it was taking its toll on my energy sooner than I thought. Once again, I used my extra time wisely. I ran through the water as quickly as possible, climbed up more steps that resembeled tree stumps, and attacked the master from behind.

The same pattern repeated: shriek, disappear, and call more minions.

The third time was even more difficult for me, and it actually took me some time to do it! I haven't played Hide-and-Seek in a long time anyway, and it never included scary things chasing after you, unless you consider small children scary...

After putting up with that game, I knew it was time for the final face-off.

I finally found the place that led to the Sacred Grove, but stopped before the ledge. Okay, I knew Link could just jump off and land easily on his feet without taking up too much health, if not none at all. As for me... I wasn't willing to take the risk of breaking my legs. After sheathing my sword, I found some vines off to the side, and I descended slowly once I got a good grip on some. Even going _down _the vines was difficult! This was because I had to make sure to keep a good grip, and it truly burned my hands. Of course, I let go after I found a decent height. I turned to face Skull Kid on top of an upright boulder. Around the area was a couple of rocks and tree stumps on the ground, and on the walls were some branches sticking out of the bricks. I finally got a good look at the real Skull Kid...

His skin had a strange blue-ish green tone to it, which made him look more like a zombie than a child made of wood like the ones in "Ocarina of Time." He also had lighter streaks decorating certain parts of his body and he was adorned with earthy clothing made of straw and leaves. In fact, he was wearing a type of cape that resembled a large leaf, which I did not notice before. He wore two bright blue earrings on each pointed ear, which was also not noticeable before. Skull Kid did indeed look like a zombie, though, also because of his incredibly skinny physique. Seriously, I never thought I'd see a kid with such thin legs! But his two most striking features were his red eyes and his toothy, never-ending grin.

Skull Kid's smile never wavered once even as he growled in frustration and stomped around like he did with Link twice before. I refused to let my guard down, however, and prepared for battle. He pulled out his instrument again, which had about five trumpets rather than one, but were all connected into a single musical device. He blew once more, and even more of his personal marionettes fell before me. I did not give them a chance to even get up. I sprinted to one of them and made a vertical slash down its head as it rose. Its head, surprisingly, nearly split! I struck it once more, cracking the majority of its head and making it fall. Like all other foes in the game, it turned black and exploded.

It wasn't long before I felt a sharp pain in my back. Apparently, one of the puppets managed to hit me, and it hit _hard_! It felt like if it were hit one more time, my spine would break! Somehow, I managed to dodge all the others that tried to follow it up, but I began to have some difficulty in standing. I had to go with the usual plan of aiming for their master...

I immediately targeted Skull Kid, who was conveniently playing his trumpet without a care in the world. I jumped onto the tree stump he was on and swung; to my surprise, I merely slashed at a bunch of dead leaves! The sound of the puppets' heads tilting continuously made me turn abruptly.

"Crap!" I cursed, nearly losing my balance. I leaped off the stump and ran quite a distance away from them, hoping to buy some time. I couldn't stand those damn puppets, and I knew the perfect way to get rid of them! I didn't want to have to use him in battle so soon, but I had to.

"Niro!" Even quicker than before, the dragon appeared. He was slightly larger than his "medium" size, but it was okay because he was still able to fit around the room. Without my having to command him, Niro opened his deadly jaws and took in at least five puppets into his mouth, their body parts crunching beneath the strength and sharpness of his teeth. As he took care of them, I made a run for Skull Kid once more, easily locating him. This time, I did a jump attack and slashed his torso vertically, ungracefully compared to Link of course. He screamed in pain, but regained his "happy," usual look just as quickly. He jumped and reappeared onto one of the branches that stuck out of the brick walls. Ugh, this was getting tougher.

His trumpet made its call once more, and the usual amount of puppets came in, surrounding both me and Niro. The dragon roared fiercely and swung his tail at three of them, and I thrusted as hard as I could at one of them. I quickly followed it up with a diagonal slice to the head and finished it off; really, I had no form with fighting, but rather I was just swinging with all my strength. Still, it worked. The foe fell and exploded, leaving one chasing me around. I was merely distracting it as Niro was finishing off the other three and devised a plan in my head as to how I would get to Skull Kid. Thankfully, Niro got the message. Telepathy really is useful!

Unfortunately for me, I failed to see a puppet ambush me. I gasped as it swung its arms at me, and I was not given any time to dodge or block at all; instead, it hit my right side. I screamed in pain and held it tightly with both hands, one clenched in a fist (since it held my sword) and the other flat and trying to apply pressure. I let go of one of my hands to look... And I found it red. My eyes widened in fear and shock; really, this was one of my first _real _wounds throughout my whole adventure here! I had no more time to think more about the situation, and I managed to dodge another attack from my enemy. I gritted my teeth to contain the pain, but to no avail. All I was able to do was dodge around and hold my wound to keep it from bleeding too much. It was rather deep, too... As it headed towards me, I saw that its right hand dripped slowly with my blood; I had not seen it before, but its fingers were not dull. It wasn't as sharp as a sword either, but the force of its swing was probably what penetrated my skin and flesh. I lost my train of thought soon afterwards, though, as Niro's great hand pounded it into the ground. Sheesh, it even left cracks around it once he lifted his hand!

**"Theresa,"** he called. He obviously noticed my stunned, painful appearance. Getting a deep gash in my side was not a topic to be calm about anyway. **"Theresa!" **I flinched and shook my head. If I just stood here, then I'll be dead before I even know it. I nodded as a signal to continue with the plan I thought of before, and he nodded in reply. For now, it required letting go of my wound for a moment; there was no way those puppets were going to stop if its master was still in good shape.

His tail extended towards me as I jumped in the air, barely avoiding another marionette's deadly swing. I prepared for another leap once I landed perfectly on the dragon's tail, and he threw me up at the same time to give me an extra boost. I went up so high! At first, my arms and legs were flailing, and my breathing became so uneven. But somehow my grip on my sword did not lessen, and as I got closer to Skull Kid in mid-air, I focused once more. I let out a battle cry, using both the momentum of my fall and my own strength to slice downwards right in the middle of his wooden head.

It landed!

I could even feel the crack beneath my weapon, which gave me a very strange feeling... But that instantly disappeared as the boy before me transformed into brown leaves. Niro caught me at the right time in his large right hand. His timing left me without a bruise, but also increased the pain in my side. I groaned loudly and held it tightly. I needed help... Skull Kid reappeared, completely healed, for the third and final time. He gasped for air and played his music, _as usual_. Annoyance replaced the focus and adrenaline in me; I couldn't take this anymore! I wondered if Link felt like this with him, or even with all the other bosses that had to be attacked three times. To my surprise, my feeling seemed to pass on to Niro. The result of that...

Before the puppets could even land, he lunged for Skull Kid and got him with his left claw. The momentum of his lunge and pinning Skull Kid against the wall made a huge cracking noise, and this time it wasn't just the boy's body... Apparently, the strength of the dragon's force caused damage on the wall as well, leaving multiple cinches and fractures across it! Was my connection with Niro really that strong, or was he easily annoyed by the child's persistence as well?

Skull Kid gave out a painful cry as the final blow was dealt upon him. However, it didn't last long; he stared right at me with his beady eyes and eerie grin, disintegrating into dead leaves once more. Only his voice was left of him.

_"Hee hee! That was fun! Let's play again sometime!"_

Niro growled at the high-pitched voice; it was understandable, yes, and I couldn't feel more relieved to see him go. But I didn't come here for nothing!

"Wait!" I called, holding one hand out while the other remained on my side. No answer came. Frustrated, I continued, "Did you see a boy in green clothes? Where is Link?" I had a feeling that if he had gone to get the Master Sword between the time I teleported and my current situation, then he'd be gone from this place. Even so, Epona was still waiting for him at the entrance. So... What was up? Skull Kid did not react for some time. I waited for at least five minutes or so, staring at the sky, hopeful. Niro's voice would fill my ears of advice of what to do next, but for some reason I wanted an answer from the boy. Suddenly...

_"Hee hee hee! You mean the blonde one?"_

I perked up, and my eyes enlarged. "Yes! Do you know where he is?"

_"If you want to find him, he's no longer here. He took the ancient blade and left; no time to play with me at all!"_

"So where did he go?"

_"Hee hee! Wouldn't it be obvious to you? Leave here and look around, silly girl!" _With that comment, I was so sure I felt a vein pop out of my head in anger. Oh, how I hated being teased! After that, his voice never returned. Niro put me down on my feet, shrinking a tad bit in the process. He looked at me with what seemed to be careless eyes; I couldn't blame him since he hardly knew a thing about Link, yet he should know as he knows everything going on in my head. But at the same time, I had a feeling that he was at least concerned for my injury. Eh, he was a confusing creature... I mounted him slowly as to keep the pain from taking over. He even lowered himself so it was less of a hassle for me.

"Let's head back. I think I've got an idea." Of course, like the nosy guy--- er, dragon--- he is, he would've known where I wanted to go. First, we flew away from the Sacred Grove; I was still sort of afraid of heights, so I continued my "hugging" position. Niro returned to my soul as I reunited with Mei and held onto her reins with a bloody hand, pulling her to the exit of the rocky area. I really needed help... As I looked at Epona, I was still puzzled as to why Link would leave her here all alone. He should be nearby then, right?

Suddenly, I heard footsteps. They were light, but close enough for me to hear them. I drew my sword instantly, ready for whatever was coming. Yeah, I was tired and injured pretty badly, but I had no intention of dying or anything! I stepped closer to the exit and raised my sword with my right hand. It was getting closer... Closer...

I yelled as I was about to swing, but along with my yell was... screaming? I lowered my sword as a person fell onto the floor with a "scared as hell" look. I was stunned as I saw a familiar face.

"Ilia?" Her clear blue eyes were wide with fear, but it was replaced with an amazed expression. I siged heavily with relief, "Oh my God, Ilia, don't do that! I nearly---"

"Theresa!" she cried, embracing me tightly. I was completely trapped and suffocating, grunting as her grip only tightened with happiness. Clearly, she didn't see my current state, and so it caused the bleeding to increase slightly. I coughed multiple times, and found some blood to be spewing out of my mouth. Oh God, help me! "Oh my gosh, everyone in the village was so worried about you! You didn't return and neither did Link, but---"

"Wait wait!" I interrupted, breaking free of her hug, "Link hasn't returned to Ordon Village?" Yes, that was the place I was about to head to. Skull Kid said it should be obvious and close, so that was the first thought on my mind. Ilia was about to answer with a grin, but it was smacked off of her face immediately once she _finally_ saw my injury. Guess she was too happy to notice?

"W-What happened to you?" she gasped, hands to her mouth.

"Answer my question first!" I continued.

"Well, if you had let me finish, then you would've found out that he _did _return..." Now I was the one with the stupefied expression. He was safe? I couldn't cry in happiness or jump for joy, but I only asked questions. And for a moment, I also forgot about my pain.

"B-But he left Epona here, a-and---" Ilia huffed irritatedly.

"That's why I came to pick her up! Geez, I've had many talks with him about caring more about Epona, and look at what happened! He left her all _alone_! But don't worry, I gave him a good talking to." Haha, typical Link. Well, I couldn't say "typical," but it was typical of me when I played the game, I'd leave Epona at the most random places and run into her again later on. So I sort of understood now... I sheathed my sword and held it, gritting my teeth tightly. My shoulders were shaking as though I was ready to cry; it was from both happiness and from the deep gash in my flesh.

"T... Theresa? We gotta get you to---"

But as soon as she said that, I ran past her. She continued to call my name with a "scared for my safety" tone. But I kept running, and running all the way towards Ordon Village. As I continued, tears were flowing back through the sides of my eyes, wind blowing against my face and my hair dancing along with it. I finally recognized the Ordon Spring and sped through it, finally reaching that familiar treehouse. And there, in front of that cheap scarecrow with a pumpkin as a head, stood...

"LINK!"

He had his back toward me, and slowly turned at the sound of my voice. A breeze lifted his forest green hat slightly along with some strands of his dirty blonde hair. His sapphire blue eyes finally met with my dark brown ones, wide with surprise.

"Theresa?" he said in disbelief, "What are you still doing here?" His beautiful eyes were still wide, and he ran up to me as he saw me bleeding. I was finally beginning to lose consciousness and got dizzy. I saw his scared expression as I fell into his arms. He yelled some things to me and began to carry me somewhere. The world spun around me, and I was in the worst condition I've been in yet; despite all that, I smiled and giggled a little. Link looked at me as he continued to run, confused but still scared for me.

"I'm glad... You're safe..." I managed to say, still smiling the whole time. As long as he was safe, I was content. With that, I finally blacked out...

~ : ~ : ~

I woke up on a soft bed with a thick blanket over me. I blinked a couple of times as light invaded my eyesight; thankfully it wasn't sunlight, so it wasn't as blinding. Instead, it was light coming from a lantern. I grunted as I tried to sit up on the bed, but was soon pushed down from my shoulder. I looked up at whoever was trying to push me back down.

Link.

I was at a loss for words... I couldn't believe I was seeing him again. The belief that this world was a dream came again.

"Lie down," he instructed, "You need to rest." Without saying anything, I lied back down again. He sat at the edge of the bed, his eyes never leaving me. I, however, stared at the ceiling and at my surroundings. I was in Link's treehouse. I wonder how he got me up the stairs... My attention averted back to him as his words reached my ears. "Why are you still here? Did the Princess do something wrong?"

I explained the whole story to him, along with freeing Dyten from his Forbidden Gate and trying to find him in the Sacred Grove. I punched him in the arm at the end of my explanation with a smile. He flinched a little and looked at me, confused.

"You see what trouble you put me through?" I teased. Link just looked at me with amazement. "What's wrong?"

"Well..." he started, "I'm just surprised that after all that, you're still smiling like this. Shouldn't you be mad at me? Or mad that you're still here?" I looked up to the ceiling again.

"I'm not so sure myself... I guess I'm just thankful to be alive, and thankful that you're safe too." There was a moment of silence between us, and I was actually beginning to wonder if I had said the wrong thing. But seconds passed, and he began to laugh.

"You're a really, really strange girl!" His smile seemed to gleam and brighten up the room. Not literally, of course, but... It made me happy as well. Moreover, I blushed a little; on the bright side, he didn't notice it. Link stood once more. "You must be hungry after all 'the trouble I put you through.'" I nodded quickly, realizing how hungry I was now. He was amused with my instant energy, and climbed down a ladder to get my food.

I felt around where my wound was, but found it was completely gone. I even lifted my tunic to see my skin without any mark or scar or anything. He must've taken me to the Spring; I was so excited to see him again to actually go there myself. How stupid am I...

But I was with Link again, and that was all that mattered.

* * *

Oh my God, this chapter's finally done! Again, I'm sorry for not updating sooner (read my note above). Please review, and feel free to give any advice for me to update faster, make this story better, etc. I appreciate all reviews and criticism. Thank you to all my devoted readers, by the way! You guys are awesome!

:D


	13. The Main Character of Your Story

**Author's Note: **Oh gosh, I've been gone for, what, two months or so? That was the longest writer's block I've EVER had! O_O Anyways, to all the readers who are still interested in this fanfiction, please forgive me for not updating. A lot has happened: first, the writer's block; second, my brother traded Twilight Princess for New Super Mario Bros. Wii; third, my Wii broke down! So along with writer's block, I got a major case of depression. BUT now I'm back! Now with a new school year, new classes (which are harder...), and... Well, I can't think of anything else.

So, uh, yeah, here's the new chapter. Sorry, not much happens here, but read 'til the end please! :3

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Chapter 13 – The Main Character of Your Story

It was unbelievable... To think that someone like me, a regular high school girl who mysteriously ended up in the fictional land of Hyrule, was actually training with and befriending Link, the hero of the game. Somehow, I was able to come here, supposedly through a wish from a shooting star. Honestly, it seems too good to be true. How did I _really _end up here? After much thought during my time back in Ordon Village, I've come to the conclusion that coming to a place like this can't come from just a simple wish. Did the goddesses exist? Were they the ones who brought me here? Do I even have some sort of important role in this new part of the storyline? My eyes stared off into space while the rest of my face relaxed, my mouth slightly open; I put on my "daydreaming" face again.

"Hm? You okay, Theresa?" I heard. I blinked a couple of times before looking at the handsome Link. Oh boy, did I just think that?

"Y-Yeah," I stuttered, "I've just... had a lot of things on my mind." It was evident that his clear blue eyes held a hint of curiosity in them, but thankfully, as a gentleman he did not pry on any of my business.

"Would you like to take a break, then?" Oh yeah, my current position was relaxed and holding a wooden sword, carved by his master, Rusl, to match the shape of my short sword. That way it's better and easier for me to learn how to handle my own weapon. Similarly, Link had his own wooden sword, though it did not match the Master Sword completely. It was carved in the traditional Ordon Sword style, of course. I nodded in reply.

We've been practicing sword fighting for about two days now. Since I am a perfectionist, that part of my personality makes me a quick learner, surprisingly; most of the time it makes me depressed when I want things to be perfect when they really aren't, but this time, it actually helped out in my training! I never like to make mistakes, therefore I always try to do them right the first time. Somehow, even Dyten showed an impressed expression, and that's saying something! I was only glad that I didn't have to waste much of Link's time. Link led me back to our usual "hang-out" place: the Ordon Spring. It was a very calming environment, not to mention a great place to heal and rejuvenate. It got rid of all the large and small bruises Link left on me as though it were never there in the first place. At the moment though, I proudly held no wounds on me. I was clearly getting better on defending myself, but still needed some work on offense.

"You're a great student," Link laughed, "It almost reminds me of when I was learning under Rusl."

"Well, I've got to admit, Rusl taught you well. You're a great teacher!" I complimented, smiling. He kindly smiled back at me. I wish he'd blush at me once in a while, so it'd at least show that he's taken an interest in me. Nah, never mind, I'm just being selfish. The time will come, I'm sure. We sat there together, looking at the beautiful, sparkling spring in front of us. Some time passed in complete and awkward silence, and I wondered if I had said something uncomfortable, or even insulting. But wait, it was meant to be a compliment... I looked at the scenery in front of me, and kind of gasped in my mind at my realization:

It was dusk.

I turned to Link to see if he was okay. My point of checking up on him is the ending of the Twilight Princess game. And I mean the ENDING ending, the one after the credits. That was when Midna left Link and Princess Zelda to return to the Twilight Realm... Unfortunately... She destroyed the Mirror of Twilight, therefore severing the only bridge that led from Hyrule to the Twilight Realm and vice versa. After all that traveling and adventure with his companion, Midna left him so she can return peace to her home. It was a very realistic and understandable situation, but it must have been very hard for Link to separate with her...

And I was completely correct.

It was now Link's turn to have the "daydreaming" expression plastered onto his face. The only difference between mine and his was that his eyes definitely carried sadness in them. To him, it must have felt like losing an old friend. My eyes lowered to the soft sand beneath my body as I tried to think of a way to lighten the mood, to take his mind off of the memory of separating with Midna. Picking a question at random, I asked very, very quickly,

"Sodidyoueverpracticeonyourown?" Link blinked at me, immediately getting woken up from his daze.

"Um, excuse me?"

"U-Uh... Sorry," I said, clearing my throat, "I asked, 'Did you ever practice on your own?' You know, sword fighting?" Link didn't even have to think about that. He only smirked at me and teased,

"Well yeah, why do you think I beat you all the time when we spar?" My jaw dropped, but not in an insulted way, more like in an amused fashion.

"Well you've been training like, what, all your life? I've only been at this for two days, excluding when I had to fight on my own." He only laughed at my reaction. I leaned my chin on my hand, which rested on my knee. At that point, I quietly muttered, "You'll always beat me anyway, you're the main character, after all..." I could not have gotten in a more stupid and suspenseful situation than this. That was meant only for my ears; what I was saying was that since Link was the main character of the game, of course he'd know how to fight already! Really, those pointed ears weren't just for show, and he turned to me.

"What was that?" I froze in place. "Something about a 'main character?'" he continued. Oh geez, what am I gonna say now?

"O-Oh, well..." I started, desperately trying to think of a fake answer. I kept my eyes away from him in case he was able to detect me lying; I turned away. "My... father used to refer to life as a 'storybook.' Whenever I made some sort of achievement, whether it was significant or not, he would tell me, 'Well, you're the main character, after all.' He'd always tell me that since the main character in stories is always the important, determined hero who can do anything. I... guess that phrase sort of stuck with me." But technically, it wasn't a total lie. My father really is a blunt, wise man. He didn't exactly refer to life as a "storybook," but he did compare life to some sort of object all the time. Thankfully, it was the perfect act! My turning away from him and the partially fake answer about my father seemed to make sense to Link. He probably assumed I was homesick again. He sympathetically patted my shoulder, and after a few moments he spoke.

"If I'm supposed to be the 'hero who can do anything,' that's nothing more than a lie. I'm only human, after all." I remained silent. Now that I thought about it, there really were times when I wish I weren't human, when I want to be the "hero who can do anything." Back home, it was too normal. I was desperate for something new, something different to happen to my repetitive and monotonous life. I always imagined myself as the main character that would play a significant role that will determine the fate of something big; maybe not the world, but something big. Whenever I played videogames, I'd envy the main character...

I envied _Link_.

A strong hand ruffled my hair and brought me back to the Ordon Spring. I looked at the smiling Link with a slightly irritated look. He never had to say anything to cheer me up. I just grinned stupidly back at him so he'd stop worrying if I was depressed or not. After that, he teased me again about my constant losses against him in battle, and we went through a whole insult and teasing session until the sky got dark. I was somewhat relieved that the twilight disappeared. It really made me uncomfortable when I saw Link in such sadness. For him, going through that every day must be torture... We both returned to his tree house, where we found both our horses again. Clearly, Ilia the horse-sitter was taking care of them the whole day we were training. How could she have taken Mei behind my back and without me noticing? Nevertheless, I petted her head and down her nose, comforting her and causing her to neigh happily. I was glad she was back home and that she was alright. Link basically did the same thing to Epona before we both retired into his home.

That night, I looked up at the ceiling with my arms crossed behind my back, deep in thought. I would always envy Link, how his days were always full of adventure and mystery. He would never know what would happen next. Back where I live, I know the general schedule: get up, go to school, do homework, and sleep. Those were the things that _always_ occurred in my life. I always knew what was going to happen. I turned to my side and looked to where Link was located. He slept so quietly and peacefully in his bed, the one that's one floor above me. At least from my perspective he seemed sound, but I never knew what went through his mind, whether he actually enjoyed this life, whether he enjoyed being praised and having the responsibility of protecting Hyrule...

What was I doing? Making assumptions about his point of view? I was being too quick to decide, as well as selfish. All I ever did was watch what he did and just wish that would happen to me once in a while. Just to make my own world more interesting. How conceited...

I got up to walk around, for I was unable to sleep. I would pace around as silent as an ant on his wooden floor, thinking, meditating... Then, that was where I saw it:

The Master Sword.

It was sheathed and leaning against a wall with the moonlight pouring perfectly on top of it. It shimmered beautifully, so majestically. The legendary blade of evil's bane was right in front of me! I slowly strolled over to it, curious, excited. I extended my fingers towards it, but as soon as it got within two inches, they immediately cringed back and clenched into a fist. I held that fist close to my chest, my eyes wide. What was that... _sudden feeling_? I had mixed emotions toward the blade. Through my personal point of view, I was amazed, and happy I finally get to see the famous weapon. But somehow, there was a part of me that was almost... afraid, or even hateful towards just the sight of it! Was it the fact that the generations before it used it for righteous bloodshed? Maybe a momentary belief that bloodshed is never righteous passed through my mind and I became uncomfortable with it. I even felt a piercing pain in my stomach for a split second, instantly forcing me to walk quickly back to my bed. I pulled the covers so close to me. I didn't know what was going on, but the very sword that protected this land struck fear in me for a quick moment, a fear that permanently glued itself into my mind.

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Okay, this chapter may not seem like a significant part of the storyline, but it really is. If you stick around, maybe you'll see the importance of this chapter! :) I'm taking a Psychology class in my school anyway, so I planned on a chapter that kind of explores a bit more of what goes on in Theresa's mind, like her envy and desires. Anyways, hopefully, I have returning fans. I hope you guys stay 'til the end. And for new fans, thanks for choosing to read this fanfiction! I really appreciate you taking your time to read this! Alrighty then, as usual, I'll try to get the next chapter out as soon as possible, but don't get mad at me 'cause life gets in the way sometimes!

'Kay, review please! I accept any type of criticism (just no flaming or anything) and I'll take it into consideration. 'Til next time, later~


	14. Finding the Third Gate

**Author's Note: **Wow, when was the last time I updated this? I guess I've been neglecting this fanfic for a while, huh? It's either writer's block or school, I tell you! O_e But seriously, I've been busy with my part-time job, and homework, and trying to get service hours, etc. It's like life is trying to keep me away from . I've actually noticed almost all my notes consist of different ways to justify my sudden disappearances... O.o I'll have to figure out a way to write this fanfiction without my parents getting upset at me... Suggestions and feedback are appreciated! :D

Well, this chapter is longer than usual, but I hope you readers finish this 'til the end. (By that, I mean 'til the end of the fanfiction, if I ever get to it. .) Here it is!

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Chapter 14 – Finding the Third Gate

The day was still quite early, yet Link was up and about taking care of the Ordon goats. I sat on the balcony of his treehouse, legs crossed as I stared at the sky. Clouds scattered and obscured the once clear setting, but it was fine. Clouds always made the day cooler anyway. The sun had risen a bit, and the color of the sky was slowly but surely returning to its familiar blue color. How often did I see the sunrise? Not very often since school was always one of the top priorities in my head. But here in Ordon Village, it was the perfect way to start the day. I stood and returned inside his house, deciding to change to my tunic. It seemed very stereotypical that I would've gotten a tunic in this game, and coincidentally it was available in my favorite color. After thinking like this, things seem... almost convenient. I shook my head. Maybe I was just thinking too much. I've been having these types of thoughts lately, strangely...

I took off my sleeping clothes, which consisted of a sleeveless undershirt and, well, brown shorts I had to borrow from Ilia. If I hadn't, I would've had to sleep in my underwear... And that would obviously make both me and Link _very_ uncomfortable. I was thankful to have such kind friends, even though I really didn't like Ilia from the beginning (what I mean by that is from when I first played the game). I put on everything that was included in my tunic: the long-sleeved white undershirt, the white leggings, the chain mail, the purple tunic, and later my belt and boots. I felt like I was going to go on an adventure for today; well, technically I am.

Sepherene suddenly appeared from me, clenching her hands into fists and shaking them left and right in a girly fashion.

"Ooooh, Theresa!" she squealed, "You look so cute in that color!" Honestly, I didn't think she was that much into fashion. But I smiled and nodded a thanks to her compliment. And then... The teasing, sarcastic Sheikah had to appear and ruin it.

"Does the color really matter that much?" he asked, looking unimpressed, "Not that it helps the look on you anyway..." I groaned and swung my arm at his face, once again making it disintegrate for a moment and return to its original form. His face remained unchanged; perhaps he was getting used to it. I huffed and walked out with my short sword in its sheath. I even took my bag full of supplies, like the blue potions Princess Zelda gave me. I'll have to replenish the food, though.

Why was I packing?

Well, it's because I intended to free the next soul. I noticed on my left hand, there were four slots in a circle; two of them were occupied by the alchemical signs of water and fire, obviously representing my possession of Sepherene and Dyten's souls. The other two were obviously meant for the remaining two: earth and air. I had no idea which one would come up next, but I talked it over with the two of them yesterday about how I could find the next one.

_"Well, it's obvious you are able to see souls now," said Dyten, crossing his arms, "If you really try, you can even sense and locate them. But, uh, judging by your magic ability right now, even THAT would be hard for you." It was there I swung through his head for probably the hundredth time._

_"So, how do I do that?" I asked, grinding my teeth at him._

_"Well..." Sepherene started, playing with her fingers nervously, "We're just aware that it's possible. We don't actually know HOW to do it, exactly..."_

_"Maybe if I concentrate or something? Would something like that work?" After composing himself, Dyten decided to answer my question nicer than usual._

_"It's worth a try. Normally, mages require concentration to search for something, not souls in particular, though."_

_"F-For the experienced ones, though, they could locate people based on their amount of magic. Since you've been training with your magic more often, maybe you can use that to locate the next Gate?"_

_"Still, the Gates were meant to keep people, especially mages, from finding us. It's punishment from the Goddesses, remember?" Sepherene looked down with disappointment, and I could've sworn for a split second, there was a hint of fear in her eyes. Maybe remembering it was enough of an ordeal for her. I chimed in to interrupt it._

_"So~ All I have to do is concentrate on the source of magic, right? It sounds easy enough!"_

And that's when we decided to try it out. I packed everything essential for my travel, and hoped Link would be ready as well as soon as he was done with work. I was lucky enough to survive Dyten's Gate without him; I don't want to go through another without Link! I exited the house and sat cross-legged once more, and I began to breathe calmly and closed my eyes. Neither Dyten nor Sepherene dared to speak to me, for they knew how urgent this was. I had a feeling if I completed this task, I would be able to reach my goal: return home. Surely, this would be no different. I cleared my mind and focused on finding souls. Closing my eyes made everything dark, but in a few moments, some glowing lights could be seen despite obscuring my sight.

They were obviously the residents of Ordon Village. I could even see Link's soul moving on top of Epona's while the goats ate their grass. The ones closest to my location, though, seemed to outline their bodies with the color of their soul. I just hoped that the kids wouldn't come and disturb me.

All of a sudden, Dyten and Sepherene were by my side. Sure, I was able to see them even if my eyes were closed, but they felt... closer, in a way.

_"W-What are you guys-"_

_"Be quiet." Dyten demanded, "We just entered your body so we could help you with your search." _Sepherene nodded. Instead of a light glowing from their bodies, their very skin was the color of their soul. Sepherene was completely blue, and Dyten was red. They actually looked kind of cool like this. As I looked longer, almost everything started to light up! I could see outlines of trees and grass, but there were missing things that remained totally black, like it was a missing part of the land.

_"Why does the land look like this?" _I asked.

_"You should know this by now, Theresa," _Sepherene started, _"Everything living has a soul: grass, flowers, even the smallest animals have souls."_

_"The missing parts of the land are obviously non-living things," Dyten added, "Like the large rocks in this area, or that scarecrow you and Link always train with." _It made much more sense now. Honestly, the whole world looked more beautiful this way. But I looked towards the sky, and that was covered in darkness as well. I actually expected the Sun to be in my sight, but then again, it wasn't living.

_"Come on, now, don't get distracted!"_ I flinched at Sepherene's loud voice.

I relaxed more and tried to extend my senses. Now, it felt as though Sepherene, Dyten and I flew over the whole land of Hyrule. Different colored lights were all gathering up and moving about; I could see the whole land as I "flew," I even saw monsters' souls! What I saw in the distance was bigger than a normal village, so I assumed it was Hyrule Castle Town. I could even sense the Princess's soul; somehow, I had a feeling she was doing better than normal since the last time I saw her. I was relieved, but I couldn't stop and check on her. My breathing began to become uneven since my magic power had run out, and now I was relying solely on my physical energy.

_"Just a little longer...!"_ I thought. I did my best to focus. Where is the nearest Gate? Suddenly, I felt a tug, like something was pulling me. The three of us flew over the land once more, this time past souls that seemed to... float smoother than what would seem like walking. It couldn't be...! It was the Zora's Domain! There were souls that moved in a swimming motion, graceful and calm. I was unable to tell the bodies and which one was the Prince, nor was I able to see the land or the river, but I felt excited nonetheless. A smile even formed on my face. Too bad that excitement was dying down with my growing exhaustion.

Going past Zora's Domain, however, meant only one thing: I was headed to the Snowpeak Ruins. I was beginning to breathe heavily now, and even the souls that I had left behind were beginning to falter like static on a television. I finally saw two souls, probably belonging to Yeto and Yeta. I always thought they were such a sweet couple... Especially after I beat the boss!

Sadly, I didn't have the time to remember things like that. The three of us landed on the ground just outside of a large area of what seemed to be the house. And there it was: the third Forbidden Gate.

It wasn't all that extravagant. It was just huge, and kind of scary... Almost like it was a gate to the Underworld. Nope, I've seen worse through games and manga and such. It did give off a powerful aura, though. Well, what would one expect from the power of the goddesses? Still, for some reason I was able to pass through it, and so was Link. Maybe it was my magic that allowed me to, and Link was just the main character. Of course he'd be able to do something like that.

Suddenly, I felt like I was being pulled back, and my eyes opened to see I was back on the balcony of Link's treehouse. As soon as my eyes opened, I gasped loudly as I took a deep breath. It _really_ drained my physical energy! I breathed heavily as I held my chest and stared at the ground in both awe and exhaustion. I even saw a few beads of sweat drop down to the wooden floor and my white leggings. Sepherene was the first to come out of my body, and she looked more concerned for me. She immediately floated next to me and repeatedly told me to breathe. Dyten, on the other hand, remained with unemotional eyes as he sat in front of me.

"So..." he started, "Now we know where to go." I took a few seconds to catch my breath, swallowed, and sat up. My breathing was calming down.

"Yeah," I answered. It was somewhat difficult to even speak. It was like trying to talk after running a marathon without any breaks! "We're leaving right away." Dyten raised an eyebrow and put a hand to his chin, his eyes never leaving me. He didn't seem concerned about leaving so soon, but about some other matter.

"I wonder why it's so far... Besides, how are you sure of the location? You didn't even study a map!" Oh crap. They never saw me looking at a map, and I took that knowledge from playing the game.

"What? You think you've been keeping an eye on me every second?" I asked, sarcastic, "Of course I studied maps, especially since I'm gonna have to find the other gates!" Dyten kept his expression, but after some time he sighed, giving up. "Stupid..." I muttered, grinning triumphantly. All he did was scoff and leaned his cheek on one hand. Keeping my cover about knowing almost _everything_ about Hyrule was getting difficult. At times, I wondered how they didn't know from my mind that I played the game before. After some thinking, I just concluded that I've mastered blocking certain important subjects. It's much easier to put it that way.

"So then why don't we go get Link after getting your supplies?" Sepherene suggested. Finally regaining my strength, or at least some of it, I nodded and stood up.

"Yup. He'll probably be done with work soon." With that, I stood up, with some need of balancing, and quickly retrieved my bag from the house. Afterwards, I playfully slid down the ladder. The gauntlets really help avoid burning! I petted Mei's head as I passed her, figuring that I would walk instead and give her as much rest as possible. Besides, we would be leaving for a long travel and she needed as much energy as possible. Well, the errands were done quickly. I just sauntered over to Sera's Sundries, where she greeted me with the usual, "Oh, good morning, m'dear!" It was like she was a grandma to me, or something... She was a really sweet person. I spent some Rupees on some milk (though I really wondered how they never spoiled) and some food. With the food, however, she didn't charge me anything. I guess it's because the game never really made the characters eat anything. That makes total sense. I carefully packed the rest of my supplies inside the bag, hoping to keep as much space as possible since I still had my old school uniform and blue potions in there.

I happily left the store after some small conversation and turned to the direction of Fado's ranch. However, I caught something in the corner of my eye and turned. I saw two figures walking toward Link's house:

Link and Ilia.

I felt a sharp pain in my heart as I hoped Ilia was going to talk about trivial matters. Really, she was basically _dragging _him, quickly stomping away until they were out of my sight. Time to find out what's going on... Link and I had to ride to the Snowpeak Ruins as soon as possible, and if this was another lecture about Epona's welfare, it will have to wait. I walked over and hid myself behind the left wall, and peeked over past the hill to see Ilia and Link just reaching the top of the ladder and entering the door. As quietly as I could, I ran over, and slowed my pace down as soon as I reached the ladder. I didn't take my time getting up, but I didn't go so fast to the point of making noise.

As soon as I came up, I tiptoed to the door and put my ear against the wooden door. Well, I didn't need to do that to figure out Ilia was yelling. I listened closely, nonetheless.

"Why do you keep _leaving_?" yelled Ilia. Link stayed silent for some time, and I could hear faint sobbing inside.

"You know why I keep leaving, Ilia," answered Link, concern clearly in his voice, "I was given a mission by the Princess. I have a letter as proof!"

"No... No! I don't want you to put yourself in danger again! I don't want to be separated from you again!"

"Ilia, please-"

"It's HER fault!" My eyes widened as I realized she was taking her anger out on me. Thoughts sped through my head like bullets flying through air. This _can't_ be my fault, right? The sobbing grew louder, and I began to feel distressed. Why was she like this all of a sudden? "Ever since _she_ came... That girl, Theresa... You've been leaving more and more often!"

"Don't blame this on her!" Link snapped, his voice stern, "She has nothing to do with Hyrule! I was only helping her return home!" Ilia's screaming and Link's protesting began to slur and fade. The world through my eyes was slowly tipping back and forth, my body cringing at the pain in my chest...

Was I... jealous? Jealous of their relationship? No... I felt _guilty_. I felt guilty that it was my fault that their relationship was diminishing. I hadn't realized that Link had been spending more time with me. Was he getting more attached to me in these few weeks? Whereas Ilia was his childhood friend? From her point of view, I could understand her feelings. My hand formed into a fist. I didn't want to jeopardize their friendship.

I had a feeling from the beginning that I was never meant to be with the main character.

I'm just a minor character that randomly fell out of the sky, and Link trusted me enough to do whatever he could to return me to where I belong. I began to wonder if I even deserved his attention, while Ilia just watched us from the background... There was only one solution that I could think of. Leave without Link, and don't come back.

Yes, that was the only answer that came to mind. I quickly and silently turned away from the door, sliding down the ladder again. I did my best to silence my landing by squeezing the ladder harder, but it made a smooth, continuous rubbing noise. Hopefully, Link wouldn't hear it with his enhanced sense of hearing.

I tiptoed over to Mei and made sure everything was ready. I pulled my bag and tied it to the saddle, hoisting myself up afterwards. Unfortunately, I kind of landed abruptly and startled Mei, causing her to neigh loudly and stand of her hind legs. My legs held tightly around her sides while my arms momentarily hugged her neck, then she landed hard and we both took off into the woods. The last sound I heard from there other than Mei was the sound of a door opening.

Wind blew through my hair as we rode on and on, the road seeming endless and eternal as I traveled through Faron Woods. Soon enough, the bright light of the sun pierced my eyes. It was clear that I reached Hyrule Field. As I tightened my grip on the reins, Sepherene and Dyten revealed themselves once more. "Why did you leave so suddenly?" asked Sepherene, alarmed, "You KNOW it's not your fault for Link's departures!"

"Yes, but I'm responsible for their fighting..." I answered, never taking my eyes off the field, "This... is for the best, right? Link won't have to worry about me anymore..." I slowed Mei down when I figured we were far enough from Ordon Village. Mei did a calm trot towards the direction of Lake Hylia, where I would cross the bridge and into the Lanayru Province. I continued to speak with my two companions. "I don't want to ruin their friendship. Link doesn't have to do anything for me, in fact he's not even supposed to have anything to do with me! I'll find the way home on my own."

Sepherene looked away from me. Even Dyten didn't say a word, but that silence pierced me like a sword through my chest. _"Don't look like that..."_ I thought. I could imagine her expression. It wasn't one where she felt pity, or she felt she was unable to help me. For the first time, she was looking away because of disappointment. _"Don't... Don't be like that... I'm trying... to help..."_

"If you think this is for the best..." Dyten finally said, staring at me with his mysterious red eyes, "Then you're wrong." I turned toward him sharply, ready to protest, but he continued. "If you truly believe this is better for everyone, then why are you crying?" I put a hand to my cheek and found that I really was crying. I didn't notice this whole time... My face was pretty much soaked in my tears. I turned away.

"This..." I started, my voice shaking, "I-I..." I stopped Mei from walking, and I held my face in my gloved hands. Why _should_ I be crying? Was it because I was leaving the person I wanted to meet and spend time with? After figuring out that he was real, and more than just a fictional character in my head? That was a likely reason, but a selfish one. I didn't want to be selfish. I didn't want to wreck the friendship between Link and Ilia, the friendship that has been building up for years. And yet...

_"Why am I feeling like I'm making the worst mistake of my life?"_

Suddenly, hot wind quickly flew past my left hand. I opened my eyes and saw something bright sticking out of the ground about ten feet or so away from me and Mei... It was a fire arrow. I turned around quickly, and widened my eyes at what I saw: it was a pack of Bulblins, all mounted on armored, malicious boars. I kicked Mei's sides without even thinking, and made her run as fast as she could. The Bulblins were still following, and I felt fear as I realized I was being pursued.

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Oh, Theresa, if I were you, I'd stay with Link no matter what and slap that crazy Ilia! :D She's just confused, don't blame the girl... TToTT

All reviews are appreciated! Stay tuned for more chapters.


	15. Alliance

**Author's Note: **WHOO! I'm on Christmas Break~ 'Tis the season to be jolly! Falalalala~ Lalalala~ (I'm not a good singer in real life...) Happy Holidays, everyone! :D Wow, this year will be ending pretty soon. How long have I been writing this fanfiction? O.o And I wonder how much longer it will take to finish it? Hopefully not long, 'cause I've got the ending all planned out. But I still have no idea what to do in between... If anyone wants to pass on some inspiration to me, go ahead and send me a message! All ideas are welcome!

Finally, here's the next chapter! x3

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Chapter 15 – Alliance

Mei was running as quickly as her strong legs could. Running at this speed with my weight and my other luggage was impressive, but I had no time to think about that now. At the moment, I was being chased by a pack of Bulblins! I turned to see how many there were, thinking and hoped that there would not be so many. To my dismay, there were three boars, each holding two Bulblins on top of their backs. The riders each had clubs equipped on their backs, ready to withdraw and smash anything in their way. The ones behind them were archers, who already had new arrows to shoot at me. I widened my eyes and turned back to the road, kicking Mei's sides desperately.

As tiny as those boars' legs looked, they were surprisingly fast enough to keep up with me! And unfortunately for me, in my desperation I forgot that horses in Hyrule had a limit. You know, with the five spurs? No matter how many times I kicked Mei, she just wouldn't go faster. My fear was rising by the second, especially when I began to hear a boar's heavy breathing come closer and closer to my right. I immediately unsheathed my short sword and swung to my right.

I hit wood. I looked to see that I had cut off an arrowhead from an archer's bow. I took this opportunity to slash at the rider's and archer's chests, making them fly off of their boar and land on the ground. They never stood again. The boar next to Mei slowed down since there was no more rider commanding it, and I turned my attention to the other ones. Two fire arrows shot past me continuously as I attempted to flee. They refused to let me go.

Soon enough, another one came to my left side, but they didn't take their time like the other ones did. This time, the rider quickly withdrew his club and swung at me. I ducked just in time, so it didn't hit me. However, as soon as I came up again, the Bulblin swung the other way and hit my chest. I screamed at the sudden pain and let go of the reins, thus causing me to fall down behind Mei and on to the soft grass of Hyrule Field.

I didn't fall on my back, though. I prepared for something like that since I figured I couldn't dodge forever, and rolled back to a standing position. With my short sword in both hands and the momentum I gained from the roll, I located the boar trailing behind and slashed at its master. The Bulblin flew back and caused the archer behind it to fall off, and the boar ran away, confused. I took this opportunity to stab the rider while it was down. Of course, it had no blood since it was never shown in the game, but I was never able to see it explode.

An arrow shot threw the air and caught my sleeve, slightly cutting my right arm. It didn't completely break through the chainmail, however, so it caused my sleeve to get caught at a tree behind me. Startled, I dropped my sword before my arm got to the tree, so I was unable to reach out and grab it. Oh, that's just frickin' convenient! I tried to pull at it, but it was when it connected through the tree that the arrow split in between the chainmail. I can't escape!

The Bulblin held its arrow in its place, ready to kill me any second. Mei ran off somewhere, but the Bulblins that were originally chasing her returned to me instead. Now, three Bulblins were ready to attack me, and I was trembling greatly in fear.

"Niro!" I called. Nothing came out. My anxiety sharply rose. "K-Kappa!" Still, nothing came out of my body. _"I-I used up all my magic?"_ That's right. I used it all about ten minutes or so ago in order to find the Third Gate. I pulled at the arrow, but it refused to budge. I broke off the shaft, but that only made it worse; the arrowhead and about one inch of the shaft remained. Crap... I continued to tremble as I looked at the Bulblins coming closer to me, each with their own way of killing me.

"H-Help..." I murmured. Just then, Sepherene and Dyten came out flying. They both soared around the Bulblins, confusing them and forcing their attention to the two of them. Of course, they weren't solid, so they were unable to do any real damage.

_"Hurry!"_ cried Sepherene. _"Take this time to escape!"_ I began to pull my right arm so I could rip the sleeve off. I began to hear tearing noises, but it was the chainmail that kept me from escaping. Soon enough, the Bulblins figured out they were like illusions, mere ghosts, in fact. Their attacks would not connect against Sepherene or Dyten, and vice versa. With that realization, one of the archers turned to me and pulled a new arrrow into its bow. I gasped, closed my eyes, and hoped for the worst.

Suddenly, I heard a disgusting shriek come out from the very same Bulblin. I opened them and saw a terrible sight: an arrow stuck out from its neck. I turned to see something I didn't expect to see: Link riding atop Epona at top speed. In his hands were a bow and another arrow nocked in place. I couldn't see it, but another arrow sped through the air and buried itself into the forehead of the other archer. As Epona passed, he expertly backflipped off of the saddle and unsheathed the Master Sword. As he landed perfectly off the ground, he also equipped his Hylian Shield.

His eyes were frighteningly full of rage.

_"About time you showed up."_ Dyten spat. Despite his words sounding harsh, I was able to tell some sort of relief. Link didn't flinch at his words at all, but his eyes were still focused on the Bulblin with the club. _"We leave the rest to you, then..."_ With that said, he and Sepherene returned to my body. I watched the two opponents in silence.

The Bulblin charged at Link, ready to swing towards his head for a killing blow. However, he evaded the attack and sliced the club in two. While the Bulblin stared at the mid-air half in shock, Link hit it over the head with his shield, stunning it. Afterwards, he flipped over the paralyzed enemy, cutting its back in the middle of his flip, and thus knocking it forward. It spun in mid-air from the force of the attack, and landed on its back, unable to move. Link wasted no time in finishing it off.

He jumped in the air again, yelled his battle cry, and landed right over the Bulblin, stabbing it right in the stomach in the process. My eyes shut as I flinched and felt a sharp pain in my own stomach. I've always had that habit of feeling the same pain as someone else if I see it, but this time, it _really_ hurt! In fact, it felt almost like I was stabbed instead of the Bulblin, and for a second, I could hear my heart pumping in my ears, and my vision blurring a few times. What was going on...?

"...a... esa... Theresa!" I gasped as I realized I was being shaken roughly, and I looked up to see Link staring at me sternly with his hands on my shoulders. I looked around. I was still in Hyrule Field. What was with that moment of confusion? Was I feeling traumatized seeing Link kill another creature? "Theresa, look at me..." I heard. I slowly looked at Link in the eyes. For a moment, Link kept his stern face, but then he turned to the arrowhead in my sleeve. He pulled it out easily, almost like it was nothing! My arm drooped to my side as I kneeled down, making him alarmed as he kneeled beside me.

"Are you okay? Did they hurt you anywhere?" I remained silent for a while, and I didn't look at him.

"Why are you here?" I asked, my eyes still towards the ground. I heard a sigh escape his lips.

"You know why I'm here..." he started, "I need to get you home..." Again, there was some silence for some time.

"Why do you go through all this trouble to help _me_? You barely even know me and yet..." I lowered my head. I couldn't speak anymore for fear of crying. I heard a thud next to me. He must've sat down. I looked at him, expecting an answer. He was looking at the sky with a serious, yet thoughtful expression.

"I'm not so sure myself... I... guess I feel obligated to help the people of Hyrule-"

"But I'm not _from_ here. You know that! Tell me the _real_ reason why you're doing this..." He looked away for a few seconds. Was it too personal? Link turned to me again, chuckling a bit.

"Fine. You caught me. Well... This might sound strange, or even terrible, but..." He paused before looking up at the sky again. "I guess I just want adventure. Something out of the ordinary... It's not that I'm unthankful for my life at Ordon Village... But I guess... Ever since I went on that journey six months ago, I haven't been able to forget that independent feeling. That _freedom_." He looked at his hand and slowly clenched it into a fist as he continued, "And although I have the responsibility to protect Hyrule... I don't mind. Sometimes, I feel like this life would be much better than living the life of a goat herder."

My eyes enlarged slightly. Link looked at me. "So when you appeared, the opportunity presented itself. No doubt, I enjoyed the peace, but life in Ordon Village was like a routine. Out here, it's like there are surprises everywhere. In a way, I used you, and for that, I'm sorry..." He looked down at the ground afterwards, obviously not needing to say anything more.

My mouth hung in a blank and slightly surprised expression. _"He..."_ I thought, putting a hand to my chest, _"He's just like me..."_ So I wasn't the only one who wanted a different lifestyle. Even Link felt trapped by a planned life. And he just couldn't bring himself to forget the excitement of adventure, despite it sometimes being extremely dangerous. Even so, he missed it...

"So I guess we're the same, huh?" Link looked at me with astonished eyes. He probably didn't expect that since I seemed so desperate to return home. Even if he said he was only using me to find adventure, I didn't mind. At least I would spend that whole, if not almost all of that adventure with him. I smiled. "Don't get me wrong, I don't want to keep my family worried. I'll find a way to return home... But it's nice to experience everything on the way, y'know?" That was slightly hypocritical, though, since I didn't want to feel those near-death experiences constantly. I'm sure Link felt that way, too, since he's been through so much more than me. I stopped smiling, though, as a question came to mind.

"But what about Ilia? It's because of me that you two started fighting..."

Link shook his head. "Don't put the blame on yourself. Like I said, I feel more in place having an adventure than being a goat herder. So it's my fault. Plus, I was called upon by the Princess, so that guarantees and perfectly justifies my leaving." He looked a little more serious as he added, "Besides, Ilia can't tell me what I can and can't do. I understand her concern, but that time, she seemed rather selfish since she began to blame you. It's difficult for me to forgive her for doing that..."

"... I see..." I still felt a bit responsible, but he insisted he felt that way, so that was alright with me. Link smirked.

"Don't worry, we made up after I calmed her down. It's a good thing I was able to do it quickly, otherwise I probably wouldn't have made it in time." I grinned at him to show how much I appreciated his interference. Soon after, he punched me in the arm, and I looked at him, puzzled. "Now, you see what trouble you put _me _through?" I smirked as well at him quoting me. Well, he got me there. That's karma, I suppose.

He stood up and held his hand towards me. "So... Mind if I help you on your journey?" I gave him a confident, unhesitant look. I took his hand, and he easily pulled me up like a doll.

"Only if you're up to it." I teased. We both held our happy expressions. After finding Mei and Epona by some tiny puddle in Hyrule Field, we both traveled towards the Lanayru Province to find Zora's Domain. Now that I thought about it, I was much happier with Link by my side. I now knew that we both shared similar thoughts. I knew now that I would never leave his side until the end of our journey, and he felt the same way. At least now, I guaranteed spending my whole adventure with him, and that made me feel overjoyed.

Still, I wondered to myself if his mission with the Princess had anything to do with my own. It seemed unlikely from a first glance, but my interacting with the main character has already intertwined my future with his. Along with that comes danger, and I had to be ready for the worst. Just what will happen to the two of us?

* * *

Yes, yes, what _will _happen to our two heroes? :3 Stick around and find out! 'Kay, you guys know the drill! Reviews are greatly appreciated. Like I said earlier, message me if you want to pass on some inspiration for later chapters of the story.

Bye bye, for now! And have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to everybody! :D


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